Ethereal Blackness
by GuardofLiberty
Summary: A new enemy appears, heralding terrible times ahead. A dark force, so pervasive and frightening waits in the wings. To stop it, two very different groups of fighters must join together and overcome their differences. If they fail, all is doomed to sorrow.
1. No Match for Mordred

**I haven't written on this site in a while. I've been busy with life, school, making my YouTube videos, and working on my original work which I hope to have finished by the end of this year and published next year. Anyway, as a true writer, I've gotta follow the muse. In recent weeks, I've been reliving my young teenage years when I was a Dragonball Z fanatic and a casual watcher of Sailor Moon (yeah, a man watching that…I still can't explain it myself ****=/). This story just came to me. I don't know how far I'll go with it; I'll just take it as it comes. Just so you know, this is a challenge to me, I don't usually write fantasy-type stories, so I hope I get better at it too.**

**One thing I dislike about many crossovers of these two universes that I've seen is that they merely stick to canon villains rather than try out a new and exciting concept, so that's where I'll diverge.**

**This story starts during the Great Saiyaman/World Tournament saga in Dragonball Z and right after Sailor Moon SuperS in Sailor Moon.**

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"YES!!!" The brown creature screamed with delight. "Friends!" He addressed the fellow creatures that had helped in the attack. "How pathetically weak these humans are!" His voice was hideous, matching his beyond-ugly body. He stood about five-feet tall, had ugly red droplets coming out of his mouth, hideous red eyes and dark white horns on his head. He had claws instead of hands, and brownish stumps for legs and feet. Each creature looked slightly different than the other, some had hands, some where taller, and others had no horns, but they all followed the same general pattern: brown mucus-type bodies and red eyes.

"This pretty one's mine!" One of the taller ones said.

"HANDS OFF, SHE'S MINE!" A shorter one spat red goo out of his mouth.

"Oh yeah?!" The tall one shouted. "Come get her!" Then, almost illogically, he threw the object of their argument against the wall. The impact a left a form-fitting inch deep dent in the cinderblock wall. The young brunette screamed, letting out tears of pain as she dropped to the floor, blood trickling out of her mouth. The two arguing creatures paid no attention at all; instead, they went on all fours and rammed their horns against one another, like two rams fighting for a mate.

Giggling laughter echoed across the walls as four lights flooded the room, materializing into four beautiful women, all floating above the scene. Each had ivory skin and grey eyes. All of them looked the same- like identical quadruplets- except for their hair.

"Well Chimera, it appears that our Numba have done well, yes?" A green-haired woman asked to her counterpart.

"Yes, sister." A fiery-gold haired woman returned the smirk. "Attacking unsuspecting humans while they're at work- filing, typing, and faxing, oh what a lovely idea, Medusa."

"Yes, but I'd prefer more of a challenge." A brown-haired woman huffed.

"Whatever, Scylla." Huffed a blue-haired woman in return. "This energy will be most helpful to Master Mordred!"

Scylla sighed. "I suppose that's all that matters then, Charybdis. Let's just drain these weaklings' energy so we can go home."

The four sisters snickered. They joined their hands together and began to circle around the unconscious people as the creatures continued to trash the place.

"MOON TIARA MAGIC!"

"MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"

"MERCURY BUBBLES BREEZE!"

"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"

Roars and gurgles filled the air along with the flashing lights. All of the creatures were gone- charred to dust and ashes.

All except one. But that was quickly taken care of. The runt of the group decided to sneak up on Sailor Jupiter. The tall brunette quickly ducked and smashed her fist into the slimy thing's face, her bloodied fist erupting out of the other thing's side. The brown thing flailed about, swishing the air with its claws as Jupiter's hand was still impaled completely through its face.

"Eww…that thing's still alive!" Sailor Moon said with wide-eyes and a sweat drop, the grossed-out expression was quickly followed by the other scouts.

"Not for long!" The somewhat tomboyish Jupiter laughed, not as disgusted as her friends were. She kicked the thing hard in the gut, sending it flying back into the wall, and then formed a ball of electricity in her hand. "JUPITER THUNDER POWER!"

Sparks of electricity lit up the room as the flailing creature was zapped, his bones clearly visible due to the shock. A second later, he was on the floor dead, the gooey substance he was made out of pooling on the floor, losing its form.

"What disgusting creatures…" Mars spat.

"Yeah, who do you think you are, just wrecking people's days like this?!" Venus followed.

"Oh boy, here we go again with the self-righteous parade." Chimera mocked as she put her palm on her face.

"You destroy a few Numba and think you're so high and mighty, you guys must be serious ditzes."

"We are…" Serena began. "Moon!"

"Mercury!"

"Mars!"

"Jupiter!"

"Venus!"

"THE SAILOR SCOUTS!"

"We stand for love, and justice…and in the name of the Moon, we will punish evildoers like you!" Sailor Moon concluded.

A mocking clap could be heard high above the room. The Sailor Scouts gasped as they looked up. A man in frightening black armor adorned with a great helm of the same color and accompanied by small black spikes surveyed the scene. He was also wearing a velvet cape, naturally black.

"Master Mordred!" Scylla gasped with puppy-dog eyes, followed by her three sisters. Their heads followed him reverently as he calmly floated down to the floor, smirking underneath his helm.

The Sailor Scouts' determined looks buckled in tense nervousness as they looked up into the man's eyes- though they were covered by the helmet. He looked up at the four Sprites.

"Girls, I'll do the fighting. You just drain these pathetic humans of their energy- take every last drop that you can."

"Sure thing, Master Mordred!" Medusa acknowledged.

"Yes, great, now I won't have to break a nail fighting those brats!" Chimera thundered in happiness.

"Mordred! In the name of the Moon- I will punish you!" Sailor Moon declared with hard determination.

Mordred laughed. "Aren't you forgetting something, _Princess Serenity_?" He mocked; knowing how taken aback she always was at the fact that he knew her identity. "The only one that gets punished here is you- along with your piss-poor excuse of a court." He mused calmly.

The four Scouts quickly jumped in front of Sailor Moon to protect her. Mordred boomed in laughter.

"The Princesses' terriers, still as protective as ever." Mordred smirked as his eyes rolled over to watch his four Sprites begin to drain the unconscious humans of their energy. "I'll tell you all what." He said as he turned his back on the four Scouts. "I'm feeling charitable today, my back is turned. Hit me with everything you've got."

"Well guys, let's not disappoint him!" Mars stated with a smile.

"MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!" Sailor Mercury shouted, filling the room with thick mist.

The other Scouts quickly rushed into position.

"VENUS LOVE CHAIN ENCIRCLE!"

A golden chain of hearts wound its way around Mordred's armored body. Sailor Venus smirked as she began to pull, trying to make him stumble.

"MARS FIREBIRD STRIKE!"

"JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON!"

The two scouts stood on opposite ends of Mordred and released their attacks, Sailor Moon eagerly waiting to spring into action and dust this bastard.

Underneath the helm, Mordred's Grey eyes narrowed. In a flash, he powered up, bursting the chain and dispelling the bubbles, and in a nanosecond, took out his mace and turned in an arc, bouncing the fire and thunder attacks back at their owners.

The four Scouts' eyes widened in disbelief, with Sailors Mars and Jupiter frantically and just barely avoiding their own attacks- the flames and electricity dispelling along the wall. Mordred swung his mace and sent a shockwave through the room, sending all four Scouts flying into the wall.

"Leave my friends alone you creep!" Sailor Moon shouted.

Mordred laughed wildly. "I see you like the Strife Mace. That's good Serenity, you've become quite acquainted with it haven't you?!" He mocked.

Sailor Moon gritted her teeth as she took off her tiara. Mordred only smirked.

"Moon…Tiara…MAGIC!" She shouted as she threw the glowing disc at the man in black armor.

Mordred grinned under his helmet and stuck out his hand, stopping the tiara in mid-flight. He then sent it back at its owner. The golden disc thudded into Sailor Moon's stomach. She gasped in pain, struggling for air as her sapphire eyes fixated on Mordred's slowly approaching form…and the monster took his time, making sure she'd feel every last bit of fear.

"No! Sailor Moon!" Mercury shouted in desperation. "Shine…AQUA!"

Mordred stopped her right there. Mercury felt as if her bones were being crushed as she was lifted into the air. Mordred had raised his left hand, the right holding the Strife Mace. He then flicked his gauntlet-covered hand, sending her crashing into the cinder-block wall, rendering the Sailor Scout unconscious. Mordred reached the Moon Princess, grabbing her by the neck, and lifting her up, the girl flailing her legs in protest.

"You must understand, Serenity. It's not you that I want. It's not even that stupid crystal of yours that I want. Just bug off…stay out of my way. That's all I require of you. Yes, of course, your time will come, but you decide whether you want your time to be shorter- in this case- or longer, by leaving me alone and letting me do my job."

"Master Mordred, we're nearly done sucking these humans dry." Bellowed Scylla.

"Not so fast, evildoing scum!" Shouted a commanding voice, accompanied by two roses. One rose grazed Scylla's face and Charybdis' shoulder, respectively, on its trajectory. The other stabbed into Mordred's left wrist- the one choking Sailor Moon, causing him to drop the girl, her bottom making an unwelcome thud on the floor.

"Hey, that guy ruined my makeup! Bleeding isn't good for your skin!" The Sprite snarled.

"Yeah you bum! You just gave me a little cut, and now we have to gather all that energy again!" Charybdis joined her sister.

Medusa and Chimera merely glared at him.

"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon said still, sprawled out on the floor.

Mordred laughed. "I was wondering when this pest would appear." His laughter turned into bellows as the masked man jumped from the high window to the floor next to Sailor Moon.

"There's no worse enemy than fear." Tuxedo Mask said as she got up. "It's better to try and fail than not take action due to fear!"

"Yeah, just what he said!" Sailor Mars agreed as she and the other scouts, barring Mercury, stood up once more.

Mordred grunted in annoyance. "Girls, squash those four bugs. Gather the energy again later."

"But Master Mordred, I don't wanna fight!" Chimera pouted.

Mordred was clearly not amused. "You'll do as I say or I'll kill you all!" He shouted. "Honestly, I don't think I'd keep you girls around if you weren't so great in bed."

"EWWWW!" The Scouts muttered with a sweat drop, grossed out.

Tuxedo Mask took out his cane and began to duel with Mordred, attempting to buy the girls some time.

"Prince Darien you disappoint me." Mordred mocked, easily blocking his attacks with the Strife Mace. "You're even weaker now than you were during the Silver Millennium."

Tuxedo Mask grimaced as he attempted to fight more fiercely. Mordred back flipped to the masked man's side and lowered his mace, halting the downward swipe just as the weapon touched Tuxedo Mask's hat, eliciting the same expression of shock and fear that the Scouts had shown earlier. "You can't do any better than this?!" He continued to mock. "And to think…the Duke thought so highly of you. How could someone so strong hold someone so weak in such high regard?!" Mordred bellowed, annoyed at the thought.

Tuxedo Mask tried to jab at Mordred's stomach, but the armored man grabbed his arm, pulled him forward, and snapped the cane out of his hand. He then punched Tuxedo Mask in the stomach and followed it up with a swipe of his mace, and though it never touched him, it sent Tuxedo Mask flying back into the wall in much the same way Mordred had thrown the still unconscious Sailor Mercury.

"No! Darien!" Sailor Moon shouted in concern and fear.

"Now where was I?" Mordred asked casually, and then turned to face the Moon Princess.

* * *

Meanwhile, the three conscious Sailor Scouts were exchanging shots with the four Sprite Sisters.

"Oh no, we've gotta help Serena!" Sailor Jupiter shouted.

"But how? "These girls aren't exactly pushovers!" Sailor Venus asked.

"URANUS WORLD SHAKING!"

"NEPTUNE DEEP SUBMERGE!"

"DEAD SCREAM!"

The four Sprite Sisters turned in shock, but in a split second, the attacks hit them, knocking them painfully to the floor and making them lose consciousness.

"Hey! It's the Outers!" Sailor Mercury shouted, finally waking up.

The forms of Sailors Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn appeared from the shadows.

Mordred's eyes lit up and he laughed upon seeing them.

"You weren't expecting us to not show, were you?" Sailor Uranus challenged.

All nine Sailors stood in a circle around the dark figure.

"Mordred, give up now! It's nine against one!" Jupiter ordered.

Mordred laughed. "Oh good, Sailor Saturn is here!" He declared in delight, completely ignoring Jupiter. "Maybe now I'll face someone that can actually fight!"

The purple-eyed girl eyed him suspiciously, readying her Silence Glaive.

Suddenly, Mordred felt a little tickle. He turned to see Sailor Chibi Moon using some kind of little heart attack.

"Uh-oh…" She said when Mordred turned toward her.

"Rini! Get out of there!" Sailor Moon screamed. She'd told her not to accompany them anymore on these missions- with Mordred around it was far too dangerous. Her heart nearly leapt out of her body as Mordred lifted the Strife Mace.

"DEEP SUBMERGE!"

"DEAD SCREAM!"

"SPACE SWORD BLASTER!"

Sailors Neptune and Pluto released their blasts as Uranus charged forward with her sword.

Mordred's eyes lit up as he returned their volleys as a tennis player returns a serve, sending both Neptune and Pluto crashing back. Less than a second later, Mordred set up a protective shield around himself, both hands clutching his mace as he blocked Uranus' attack. Her eyes showed their complete shock as she stood still in the air, her sword blocked by the force being emitted from Mordred's mace.

"Hahahaha." Mordred laughed. "ERRRYAAAA!"

Like lightning, Mordred grabbed Uranus' leg and spun her around in an arc, sending her flying into Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury, who were charging their own attacks. She crashed into them, a resounding sound of bowling pins being thrown about by the ball sounding through the room.

"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" Sailor Venus shouted. Mordred turned and easily absorbed the yellow beam with his free hand. "No way!" She shouted.

Mordred smirked. "Way." He then smashed his mace to the floor, shouting "POSEIDON QUAKE!"

His attack ripped the line of the floor in front of his mace apart, sending Sailors Venus and Moon flailing into the wall. He then quickly raised his mace, shouting "COSMIC RAY LIGHTNING SHOWER!" Four bolts of white lightning emerged from his mace at that moment, striking the recovering Sailors Uranus, Mercury, Jupiter, and Mars, sending them sprawling back into the wall.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" Tuxedo Mask shouted in anger as he watched his friends getting pummeled. Sailor Chibi Moon hid behind his leg.

Mordred merely rolled his eyes and zapped him with electricity from his left hand's fingers. Tuxedo Mask shouted in pain as he struggled to cover Rini, but Mordred raised his mace and sent the little girl flying across the room, smashing her head violently into the wall, leaving some blood along the impact point.

Sailor Saturn's eyes watered with tears as she watched her friend get treated so violently.

"So little girl. Now it's just you and me." Mordred smirked under his helmet. "Can you handle it?!" He snickered.

Saturn narrowed her black eyebrows in determination, readying her Silence Glaive. Mordred grimaced and swung his Strife Mace, the same wind-like force emitting from it that he had used so effectively against the Scouts in their skirmishes.

"Silence Wall!" She shouted.

Black bolts of electricity surged as the Silence Glaive and Strife Mace struggled against each other, ending ten agonizing seconds later in a stalemate.

Mordred gave a cocky laugh to match the smile inside his helmet. "That's the way."

The black-haired girl readied herself for the second round. Mordred stood upright and calmly relaxed, surprising the Scout. Inside his helmet, Mordred closed his eyes, and in no time, a wind erupted around Saturn's position, sending heavy debris flying at her in all directions. Sailor Saturn struggled to avoid or destroy the computer parts, desk items, and bits of the creatures that the Inner Scouts had destroyed earlier before they smacked into her. It was in this instant that Mordred dematerialized and rematerialized again, right in front of Saturn, causing her to forget all about the wind. He smirked and punched her square in the jaw, sending the girl careening into the wall, hitting her back hard. It was a miracle that she had managed to hold on to the Silence Glaive. Mordred gritted his teeth and made to smash her head with the Strife Mace, causing the Scout to wince.

She was surprised that Mordred had stopped.

And so was he. He stopped right as the black flanged metal touched the crown of Saturn's skull. And it wasn't to mock her the way he had done with Tuxedo Mask earlier. He gazed into the little girl's eyes, seeing her mixture of fear and anger.

* * *

On the other side of the large room, Sailor Moon began to stir, cringing as she saw the carnage littering the floor. All of her friends were hurt- not to mention all those people the creatures had pulverized from earlier, all of them were strewn about on the floor. She especially panicked as she crawled over to Rini- seeing the blood on the wall above her.

"Rini…" She whispered.

Mordred sighed, greatly surprising Sailor Saturn. This was the second time that this had happened during an encounter with Mordred- him being in a position to kill her, and then restraining.

"Saturn, you're all right. You've got potential. If you want to leave these losers and join me, there will always be a place for you." He sighed as he turned his back.

"That's not going to happen." The little girl said calmly as she stood up. "I won't leave them." She said as she raised the Silence Glaive.

"Hm." Mordred sounded to himself as he turned to face the girl.

"Silence Glaive!" She shouted as she charged the weapon up. "Surprise!"

"Aaaah!" Mordred shouted in nervousness as he raised his hand a bit- as if attempting to get Saturn to stop. For the first time since facing the Scouts, he had shown fear.

The force from the small usage of the glaive was still more than enough to send Mordred flying back into the wall.

Saturn eyed his wounded form suspiciously as she thought of what to do next. She couldn't yet release the Silence Glaive's full power- not unless there was absolutely no other option.

"Sailor Moon…" Rini trailed. "Now's your chance."

Serena nodded as she pulled out the Kaleidomoon Scope.

"Moon…Gorgeous…Meditation!" Sailor Moon shouted as she pointed the Kaleidomoon Scope at Mordred's recovering form.

Mordred again showed the nervousness from being caught off guard. He grimaced as he quickly raised the Strife Mace, attempting his best to block Sailor Moon's attack.

Sailor Moon winced as she struggled to overcome the force field the Strife Mace was emitting, knowing that this was the best shot she'd ever had of dispatching that bastard. The force of their powers caused the other Sailors to stir. The room lit up in the white kaleidoscope pattern of Sailor Moon's weapon.

Sailor Moon's face showed her desperate struggle, yet remained as serene as she could keep it. Mordred grimaced.

"YOU WON'T BEAT ME SERENITY!" He shouted.

To that end, Mordred's free hand flashed in yellow, and then he sent a beam rushing toward Sailor Moon's feet. The Moon Princess shouted in surprise and she had to jump to avoid it, forcing her to break her attack.

And Mordred capitalized. He used his free hand to once more send a yellow energy blast at Sailor Moon. The force from the blast crashed into her stomach and sent Sailor Moon through the wall and down three stories, until she eventually crashed into the sidewalk across the street from the building they were in, being treated to a yellow exploding lightshow.

The Sailors all managed to converge together during the struggle between Mordred and Sailor Moon.

"C'mon…we have to get out of here!" Mercury choked.

"Running away from that bastard is shameful!" Uranus spat.

"Uranus, if we don't escape, we're going to die...all of us!" Pluto interjected.

"OK, I have a plan." Mercury whispered.

Serena's eyes fluttered in and out as she looked up at Mordred…standing calmly in the giant hole he had created in the building's wall.

"Those attacks…" She muttered, having flashbacks to what had just happened. "Those blasts were pure energy. They were in the same style as those…those guys from the Cell Games…" She said in weak surprise. "And here I thought that was all…just a trick." She laughed weakly before she was claimed into sweet unconsciousness.

Mordred turned around. To his surprise, the Sailors were not sprawled on the floor.

"I CALL UPON THE POWER OF MARS! FIREBALLS CHARGE!" Sailor Mars shouted as she quickly placed the charm on the head of the surprised Mordred, rendering him immobile.

"Mercury Bubbles! BLAST!" Sailor Mercury shouted as she blew her bubble fog around the room.

Mordred grimaced in rage as he broke Mars' spell. It had only taken a split second- but it was enough. All of the Scouts were gone.

OH! Those little hussies!" Medusa shouted.

"I see you girls have finally woken up." Mordred said as if not caring at all- because he didn't.

"Let's go after them Mordred!" Chimera seethed. "They ruined my makeup!"

"NO!" Mordred boomed, annoyed. This caused all four of them to stand at attention and shut their mouths. "It's far more important that we get the negative energy from these humans' fear and pain. Those Scouts are nothing more than bugs waiting to be crushed. Cockroaches are often elusive…but they'll be exterminated in the end…you can count on that. Now, get to work!"

"Yes, Master Mordred!" They all bowed.

* * *

"Darien…are you sure you want to carry me like this…you got banged up pretty bad…" Serena trailed weakly. She was draped across his back.

"Not nearly as bad as you, Serena." He said somberly. "Rini got beat up real bad too…that's a nasty cut on her head." He referred to the pink-haired girl he was cradling.

The Scouts had separated as soon as they were a safe distance away. Better for them to not be all in the same place should Mordred decide to pursue. Luckily, it didn't seem that that was the case.

"We lost again Darien…" Serena said. "We can't do it…we're no match for him…I'm no match for him. Even as Super Sailor Moon…I'm no match for him!"

Darien said nothing.

"Did you see those blasts at the end? They were pure energy…just like those tricks I remember from the Cell Games on TV…" She trailed again before once more falling into unconsciousness.

"There's always a way Serena…" Darien trailed, knowing she couldn't hear him. That attack Mordred had sent toward her feet…it _was_ like from the Cell Games. Who could forget that? "Those guys that beat Cell…I know we could sure use…their help right around now." Darien choked.

* * *

**Well…all in one day. Cool. Yeah I know, the Scouts got their asses handed to them. So, who is this Mordred person anyway? What does he want? Guess you'll have to wait to find out more =). Please review by the way. I'm real busy with stuff so the more reviews I get, the more motivation I'll have to continue (especially when that creative muse for this story starts to wane).**


	2. Planning for the Tournament

"Hey! Look at that!" Mina shouted to her friends, who had stumbled upon a common scene in recent weeks- the mucus creatures scaring a crowd to death and beating nearby people until they were unconscious.

"Just when you want to go out and enjoy the street fair…" Serena pouted.

"Serena, it's time for Sailor Moon, now!" Luna ordered from her shoulder.

"Moon Crisis Make Up!"

"Mercury Crystal Power Make Up!"

"Mars Crystal Power Make Up!"

"Jupiter Crystal Power Make Up!"

"Venus Crystal Power Make Up!"

The girls all went through their transformations, emerging as the Sailor Scouts.

"No time for poses, we better dust these creeps and fast!" Sailor Mars began. "Mordred could show up at any time!"

"Right!" Sailor Moon agreed.

"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM…SHOWER!" The blonde-haired Scout shouted, sending multiple beams of light at multiple creatures, piercing through their torsos and causing them to die in gurgling pain.

"MARS CELESTIAL FIRE SURROUND!" Sailor Mars shouted as her rings of fire encircled and charred the creatures, turning their slimy flesh into vapor.

"Sailor Moon! Watch it!" Mercury called out to her friend.

Her sapphire eyes lit up in surprise as she narrowly avoided a swipe of one of the creature's claws. Several strands of golden blonde hair fell to the ground.

"Aaahhh…uhhh…." Serena trailed as she tripped and fell to the ground in her usual style. She looked up in nervousness as the creature raised its claw again, only for it to be kicked away a second later with such force that it was sent flying into a building.

The Sailor Scouts watched as a green blur barreled past several of the creatures, knocking them to the ground as he went along.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting!" A confident voice boomed from the top of a building.

Instantly, Sailor Venus, Mars, and Jupiter clasped their hands together and had hearts in their eyes. "IT'S THE GREAT SAIYAMAN!"

"Hi Great Saiyaman!" Sailor Moon greeted.

"You can get off the ground now, and keep your posterior away from my face, honestly Serena, you are such a pig!" Serena's eyes drooped at Luna's remark, finally giving her the motivation to stand up.

"Hi there Sailor Moon!" Saiyaman greeted. "It's great to see you girls again!"

"Yeah Great Saiyaman, you usually hang out in Satan City, what brings you to Tokyo?" Mars asked, still swooning."

"He is such a cutie!" Sailor Venus chimed. "It'd be great if only he'd take that stupid bucket off his head!"

"I'm on my way somewhere for a business meeting." He replied. "Then I came across this scene of evildoers! But we'll remedy that! Do your thing Sailor Scouts, and I'll do mine!" Saiyaman said with a nod and two-fingered solute. He then took off from the building, surrounded by a white aura and flew into a sea of the creatures, pounding them with his fists and feet.

"What a guy…" Mars trailed with hearts in her eyes.

"Hey! I saw him first!" Venus shouted.

"Well it doesn't matter, cause he's all mine." Sailor Jupiter calmly declared.

"YOU?!" The two long-haired Scouts seethed, wrinkling their noses at the tall one.

"Yeah me, cause I'll make him one of my fantastic dishes and he'll fall right in my lap!" She declared with a big smile.

"GRRR!" They pouted as they made to throttle her.

"Girls…in case you haven't figured it out…" Luna began, making the three of them freeze. "MORDRED COULD SHOW UP AT ANY MOMENT!" Mars, Venus, and Jupiter went bug-eyed at the cat- she looked like a demon. "AND IF HE DOES SHOW UP IT'S VERY LIKELY THAT YOU'LL ALL GET POUNDED INTO THE PAVEMENT OR WORSE!"

"Yes, you really shouldn't argue, he's just a guy." Mercury came in.

"It's a sad, sad, day when Serena becomes the voice of reason!" Sailor Moon chided. She charged her Kaleidomoon Scope. "RAINBOW MOON HEART ACHE!" Brightly colored hearts emitted from the scepter, smashing into several of the creatures and pulverizing their forms. 'Lovely!' They cried out as they died.

Meanwhile, the Great Saiyaman roundhouse kicked one of the creatures, splitting him in half and causing him to explode. He looked at the Sailor Scout's attacks with admiration for their elegant prowess.

_These girls are a bit weird. _He thought. _They're pretty strong indeed, but I can never sense them. It's only by coincidence that I ran into them here…_

"JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!" The Scout of Thunder shouted, sending charged leaves at the last of the creatures, bursting their forms to pools.

"You Scouts did well." Saiyaman complimented, his cape blowing in the wind.

Venus, Jupiter, and Mars said nothing, merely clasping their hands together and having hearts in their eyes. Luna, Artemis, Mercury, and even Sailor Moon sweat dropped.

"Saiyaman, why don't you stay with us?" Sailor Venus asked, stepping forward. "It'll be a lot of fun once this mess is cleared." She then blew him a kiss, one of her magical hearts visible for a second or two.

_Wow, that Sailor Venus really is a looker._ He thought as he blushed at the act- thankfully he was wearing his helmet so she couldn't see. _But then again, Sailor Mars isn't bad looking at all either. That Sailor Jupiter is pretty cute too, and I just love the way she carries herself!_

Sailor Venus nearly jumped back when she saw him smile.

"I'd love to, but I've got some place to be." He finally declared. "Goodbye Sailors, keep up the great work and you will always be friends of the uh huh mmm hmmm…GREAT SAIYAMAN!" He said as he did his Saiyaman pose, which caused even the showy scouts to sweat drop. He then ran a few steps and blasted off into the sky.

"He's sort of a dork…but he's still really cool." Mina laughed.

"Yeah, if only he'd take that bucket off his head!" Mars said, reviving the earlier theme.

"Um, Sailors, I hate to be rude but…YOU BETTER GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" Artemis yelled to catch their attention.

"He's right guys, Mordred could still be waiting in the wings, and we all remember what's happened every time we've faced him…" Sailor Moon trailed.

The Sailor Scouts quickly nodded and ran away from the scene, not being fortunate enough to make sure all the people were revived.

* * *

"But I don't understand Master Mordred!" Charybdis shouted in protest. She and her sisters stood in front of Mordred, seated on his chair in the Throne Room of his lair. "Why didn't you go and pound those little brats into dust?!"

Mordred slouched to the side in his chair, leaning his head on his left hand and gently swirling his wine in his right. His dark brown, wavy hair contrasted quite nicely with his grey eyes and pale complexion, the Four Sprite sisters tried their best not to gawk while on business.

"I have better things to do than constantly bother myself with weaklings Charybdis."

"Well…you could have at least let us go and pound them, besides; you needed us to drain those humans' energy." Scylla objected.

"I appreciate your concern, Scylla, but that wasn't the point of the exercise."

The four sisters were taken aback.

"Well then…what was?" Medusa asked.

"Experimenting with the Numba. Unfortunately, they aren't nearly as controllable as they were in the past. There's a big reason for that- you know of course, but still, we need to breed them to be more obedient, even if we cannot get one hundred percent efficiency."

"They're also much weaker than before…" Chimera stated the obvious.

"Then we'll just have to make them stronger too. It's amazing that we've saved them from going extinct. Considering that, we've gotten what we can reasonably expect."

"So Master, what is the next phase of the plan? We still need more energy." Medusa said, the other three agreeing.

"Taken care of. Girls, do you know of an event on this putrid planet where the strongest fighters in the world gather to test their strength?"

"Hm?" All four sisters muttered in curiosity.

* * *

"So Gohan, I heard you were spotted with those Sailor Scouts again." Bulma said after the two met at Capsule Corp.

"Yeah. There's been some incredibly weird things happening lately. Nothing serious, but I'm glad those girls have been giving me a hand sometimes. How do you know though? It couldn't have been much more than an hour ago! News travels so fast!" Gohan said, bewildered.

"I blame the internet." Bulma laughed. "Anyway, what are they like? They've certainly made a name for themselves in the past couple of years as you guys have been keeping a low profile."

"I don't know them that well, but they all seem like really cool girls." Gohan answered. "Three of them keep staring at me when I'm around them. It's really weird."

Bulma laughed. "Wow Gohan, you've really got a lot of girls after you these days! You really have grown up!"

Gohan blushed. "Bulma, you know I need to enter the tournament, so do you have my new headgear?"

"Sure, just give me a sec."

"All right!" Gohan yelled in delight once he received his new accessories. "Bulma this is great! What do you think Trunks?"

"Great…" _If you like looking like a total geek that is._ The lavender-haired boy thought condescendingly.

"Make sure you like it though Gohan. You're going to be seen everywhere after you win." Bulma smiled.

"Who says he's going to win?" A deep, cocky voice asked.

"Who could possibly beat him?" Bulma asked skeptically to her husband as he walked into the room.

"Yours truly- that's who. If you'll enter, I'll enter." Vegeta smirked. "You were a lot stronger than me when we fought Cell, but while you've been studying and hanging around with little girls in sailor outfits, I've been doing nothing but severe training the entire time!"

"Yep, that's all you've been doing, I can vouch for that." Bulma huffed.

"Yeah! Dad and Gohan are gonna fight!" Trunks chimed. "This is gonna be so cool!"

"I think I'll enter too!" A cheery voice sounded throughout the room. "Gohan."

"Dad? Is that you?! Please tell me that it's you!"

"Kakarot?" Vegeta asked skeptically.

"Hi son, it's great to hear your voice again!" Goku said, standing with King Kai.

"Where is he?" Trunks asked.

"Trunks, you haven't been telling Gohan the truth about his costume have you?"

"Dad! Are you really coming back to compete?"

"Yeah! It appears I've got some credit! Tell everyone that I'm coming back…for a whole day!"

"All right! Yes!" Gohan shouted with joy.

"He's really weird." Trunks said to Vegeta.

"No son, his dad's coming back, even I'm excited! Now I'll finally get another chance to defeat you Kakarot!"

Goku smirked. "We'll see- I guess anything's possible. Miracles do happen!"

"Miracles huh? Oh I can't wait!" Vegeta chuckled.

"This is great!" Bulma exclaimed. "Gohan, go and tell everyone the news!"

"Yeah! It'll be great to see everyone! Oh hey, Vegeta, if you're going to compete, you should wear a disguise like mine."

"Ugh! No way, I wouldn't be caught dead in that thing!" Vegeta cringed with sweat.

A few minutes later, Gohan parted from them and flew around the world with great cheer, seeing everyone and telling them the news. His dad was coming back!

* * *

"Oh…" Serena moped. "I hate this hit and run stuff. I liked being Sailor Moon, Champion of Justice and Love, now all I am is Sailor Moon- opportunistic defender against evil, and runner at the first sight of Mordred…"

The others also moped. The Inners and Rini were all having their weekly meeting to discuss Sailor business at Raye's temple. It was a depressed atmosphere- even the normally happy go lucky Serena was down in the dumps.

"What we need is a plan." Ami, the strategist of the group declared. "We know Mordred is here for something, we need to find out what it is!"

"Right!" Raye declared. "We can't fight him head on, but knowledge is power, and if we find out what he's after, we just might be able to figure out a way to stop him!"

"He's been using those creatures and the Sprite Sisters to drain humans of their energy. That much we know." Mina put forth. "What we don't know is what he wants it for."

"Hey, you know…I was just thinking of something." Lita blurted out.

"Hm?" The other Scouts eyed her curiously.

"Mordred wants energy from people right? Wouldn't it make sense to take the strongest energy he could possibly find?"

"Hm?"

"The World Martial Arts Tournament! All the strongest fighters gather there every year!"

"Are you saying that Mordred is going to attack the tournament?" Serena asked in surprise.

"I don't know, but it would be the logical thing to do!" Lita declared.

"Right!" Ami agreed. "The strongest fighters on the planet are going to be there, it's the highest quality energy on Earth! We should go and make sure everything is all right!"

"Yeah, plus it would be really cool to actually be there instead of sitting around every year watching it on TV!" Mina exclaimed. "Hey, I know! We can enter as the Sailor Scouts! I just know that one of us can win! Just think…" Mina trailed into a daydream with sparkling eyes. "Winning the tournament will jumpstart my singing career!"

The others sweat dropped.

"Yeah! And I can call Hotaru, and we can enter the junior division!" Rini chimed.

They all hummed and looked at the little girl.

"Rini…isn't that dangerous?" Serena asked in concern.

"Not really, I mean, what kid could beat me, let alone Hotaru?"

"She's right." Lita said. "Rini and Hotaru should easily be able to beat every other kid that enters!"

"All right…" Serena reluctantly agreed.

"This is such a great idea Lita!" Mina said excitedly. "Not only can we do our duty and watch for Mordred, but we can have a lot of fun too! Maybe that hottie Saiyaman is going to show up!"

"Yeah, and I'll impress him with my charms!" Raye interjected.

She and Mina glared at each other, sparks of electricity shooting between their eyes.

"You both can just drop it now, because once he tastes my food he'll be all mine!"

Fire surrounded the three girls as they snarled.

"Oh brother…" Artemis sighed, along with Luna.

Ami sweat dropped.

"Hey guys!" Serena cheered.

The other girls paused their hissy fight and stared at her.

"Do you think that we'll get Mr. Satan's autograph when we go?!"

Everyone in the room toppled over.

"Why would you want that big goofball's autograph Serena!?" Raye snapped. "I'm sick and tired of seeing that smug face of his everywhere I go!"

"Cause…cause he beat Cell!"

Everyone toppled over again.

"You are such a ditz Serena!" Raye snapped once more. "Even after all this time as Sailor Moon, you still haven't figured that phony out?! _We_ would beat Mr. Satan- easily! He'd probably even lose to Rini! There's no way he could have killed Cell!" Raye huffed. "I figured that out long before I even became Sailor Mars!"

Everyone in the room looked at Serena as if she were the dumbest person alive. Rini and Raye most of all.

"Oh…right!" Serena said with embarrassment. "I guess I just…forgot…but you don't have to be so mean to me!" She cried, tears flooding out of her eyes.

"Well, I guess that settles it, we're going!" Ami declared.

The Scouts all smiled widely, looking forward to the event- even if there was the possibility of Mordred showing up. This conversation had definitely lifted the mood- they'd be doing something fun as well as protecting the Earth at the same time.

"Now Raye, why don't you do a fire reading- maybe it can help reveal what Mordred is after." Luna suggested. Raye fixed her gaze on the cat and smiled. She proceeded to sit in front of the fire.

"Great fire I call upon you to give me guidance and show me the way! Tell me, what does Mordred want? Why is he here?"

The Scouts all watched with nervousness, yet the fire stood still. Around fifteen seconds later, just as they began to drift their attention, the flames erupted. The six of them squealed in surprise and even fright as the flames morphed into a monstrous form that towered over the Scouts. The flaming form rushed toward them with a thundering roar, knocking all of them on their backs. And then, just as quickly as it came, it went, leaving all of them with wide-eyed shock painted on their faces.


	3. Arrival at the Tournament

**Sorry if that last chapter was leeching off of Dragonball Z a bit much. But, I had to set the events in motion. For the same reason, this chapter may do the same thing.**

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* * *

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"I've ridden galactic slugs faster than this vehicle!" Vegeta grunted in annoyance.

"Oh hush!" Bulma cut in. "So, is Goku really going to show up?"

"He'll be there!" Gohan answered. "I just know it!"

"When has Goku ever let us down before? Of course he'll be there!" Master Roshi cheered.

"Listen Vegeta, and this goes for you kids too…" Gohan announced to Vegeta, Trunks, and Goten. "I think we should all agree to not turn into Super Saiyans during the fights."

"What for?" Vegeta asked skeptically.

"That's a good idea, if people see you guys transform, there's a good chance they'll recognize you from the broadcast of the Cell Games." Bulma agreed. "And after that well…the journalists would get your names off the entry form and TV cameras would be all over my front yard!"

"Yeah, it's a real mess trying to deal with it in high school!" Gohan answered.

"I don't see the problem." Vegeta cut in. "When the journalists arrive I'll just destroy them!"

"Vegeta, would you behave yourself?!"

Vegeta smirked at his wife's outburst. "Fine it's settled. There will be no Super Saiyan transformations during the battles. Of course I'll still have the advantage." He said with a cocky smirk.

"That's ok with us Dad!" Trunks agreed.

"Yeah!" Goten nodded.

"Thanks guys." Gohan smiled.

"Maybe now I'll stand a chance!" Krillin laughed. "Fighting a Super Saiyan is like trying to fight a steamroller with your hands tied!"

"PIPE DOWN!" Vegeta yelled.

* * *

"Uhhh…sorry." Krillin backtracked.

"Wow! This place is great!" Rini said excitedly, holding on to Darien's hand, with Horatu holding on to the other one. "I still can't believe that the Outers let you come, Hotaru!"

"Well, they said it's for the good of the Earth to be watching out for Mordred here. If I can help, I'd be happy to." The purple-eyed girl smiled.

The Sailor Scouts all arrived in their transformed states, and Darien was dressed as Tuxedo Mask.

"Hey look! It's the Sailor Scouts!" Some people said as they passed.

"I guess they're gonna be competing!" Others said.

"Yeah!" Rei exclaimed happily. "Finally we're getting some of the recognition we deserve!"

Suddenly, a crowd of people began to cheer, and children ran past the Scouts.

"Hey no! I saw him first!" Children shouted to each other as they ran to the Scouts' left.

"Oh no! It's that big goon Mr. Satan!" Rei hissed, sticking her tongue out. "I'd sure love to get a crack at him and light that stupid hair of his on fire!"

"You better be careful what you wish for, Rei!" Ami bantered. "Are you really sure you want to fight the man that killed Cell?"

"Yeah Rei. I mean, you could barely handle your grandfather when that Nega-creep Zoisite turned him into that monster! What makes you think you could possibly handle that kind of power?!" Lita teased.

"Hey!" She objected.

Everyone that was gathered burst out into laughter, Rei included.

"Awww guys, this is so great!" Serena said. "We haven't smiled like this in a while."

Everyone looked at each other with warmth and friendship in their eyes.

"And just look! There's food, games, contests! All sorts of cool things to do!" Serena chimed as she zipped about looking at all the things around, causing the others to eyeball her. "And as of yet no sign of nasty old Mordred." She said as she returned to her friends, keeping her voice low in a dismissive tone.

"However, there is a sign of Mister Hunkmeister!" Mina exclaimed, hearts throbbing in her eyes.

"Hm?" The others asked as they turned in her direction.

The crowd had cleared toward Mr. Satan, revealing to the Scouts none other than the Great Saiyaman, who was with several other people.

"IT'S THE GREAT SAIYAMAN!" Lita and Rei shouted in excitement, mirroring Mina's expression.

"So, he showed up after all." Darien muttered.

"Woah, who's that big green guy he's talking with?" Rei asked.

"Only one way to find out!" Mina smiled.

She then began to run toward him.

"Hey! No fair!" Lita and Rei called out as they ran after her.

Ami, Serena, Luna, Rini, Artemis, Hotaru, Darien, and Diana merely stood there with bewildered looks on their faces.

"You would have been right there with them in the old days." Ami said to her friend.

Serena laughed. "Well…what can I say? I guess I'm more grown up than they are now!" She declared in triumph. "C'mon, let's go over there."

* * *

"That outfit…you're really going to fight in that?" Piccolo asked.

"Of course!" Gohan answered.

"HEY! GREAT SAIYAMAN!"

Gohan's eyes widened in surprise behind his glasses as he watched a few familiar figures approaching. Everyone else eyed them curiously as well, besides Piccolo and Vegeta, who merely stood in the same calm posture as they watched the girls approach.

"Hi Saiyaman, whatcha doin'? Who's your friends?" Lita, who had gotten there first asked. She quickly felt Mina and Rei sliding into her back.

"Oh, this is my friend Piccolo."

"Hi Mr. Piccolo, why are you so green?" Mina asked. "Shouldn't you be in a hospital instead of a martial arts tournament?"

The Namekian gave a startled grunt, but his eyes quickly softened. He looked at all of the Scouts with a less-icy stare than they'd seen him give at first, which surprised them. They saw that he was looking at them as if he were somehow acquainted with them.

"You sure showed up with a lot of people." Serena smiled at Gohan. "I didn't realize you were such a popular guy!"

Gohan blushed, eliciting a smile from Serena.

"I think you've met everyone." She continued. "All except Sailor Saturn here."

"Oh, so there's a Sailor Saturn too?"

"Hi!" The little girl greeted as she went forward to shake his hand, Gohan returning in kind.

Gohan's friends were watching, clearly amused, except Vegeta and Piccolo.

"What are you guys doing here? Are you Sailor Scouts going to fight in the tournament?" He asked.

"We sure are!" Mina smiled.

"Yeah, one of us is sure to win!" Rei declared. "It'll be a cinch!"

This caused Vegeta to exit his state of mild curiosity to instead bellow over in laughter.

"What do you find so funny?" Rei glared.

"One of you? Win the tournament?!" Vegeta laughed at the very thought. "What are you going to do? Strangle me with those little bows on your skirts?!"

Rei glared. "Just watch!" _I'll set this jerk's hair on fire! His hairdo is even worse than Mr. Satan's!_

"Yeah, who do you think you are?!" Lita angrily asked.

"Woah!" Gohan backtracked, standing in front of the Scouts. "You guys just don't know Vegeta, he's always making jokes like that!" He sweated, and then turned his head to glare at Vegeta, who merely gave him a cocky smirk.

"Hey, Trunks." Goten whispered as he got his friend's attention by pulling on his shirt. "Those girls are kinda pretty aren't they?" He referred to Rini and Hotaru.

"Yeah." Trunks agreed. "If they don't have cooties that is."

Rini and Hotaru merely eyed the two boys with curiosity.

"I wonder if we're going to be fighting them." Rini asked.

"Maybe." Hotaru said, not taking her eyes off them.

The girl's deep purple stare freaked even Trunks and Goten out a bit.

Suddenly, a man in an orange Gi appeared seemingly out of thin air, deeply startling the Sailor Scouts. Gohan and crew however, eyed the form with joy.

"So, Great Saiyaman." Mina said as she finally managed to get past her friends. She was the only one not noticing the newcomer. "Do you wanna get a shake or two after the tournament?" she asked as she began to gently touch his chest.

"Hey! I'm back!"

"Dad! It's you!"

Mina giggled. "I'm not your dad, Saiyaman!"

"You guys have changed a lot in seven years! Gohan! You're giant! So guys, are you just gonna stand there and stare at me all day?"

"Dad!" Gohan shouted and ran towards him, causing Mina to topple over to the ground.

"Guess he's not interested in you!" Rei teased.

"Can it Rei…" Mina trailed, as her head throbbed.

"Girls…" Luna said, catching the attention of the now more isolated Sailor Scouts, thus making her feel secure in speaking freely. "Remember, we're here on _Sailor Business_, not to chase guys or make new friends!"

"Yes, we really should get going. Besides, they're paying all of their attention to that guy now! We might be able to talk to them later!" Ami interjected.

"Yeah, let's get going." Serena said, she, Darien, Rini and Hotaru being the first to begin the trek toward the registration area.

* * *

"So, is it a certainty that one of the Sailor Scouts will be the new World Champion this year?" A reporter covering the event asked to them.

"You betcha! I am Sailor Moon! I will right wrongs and triumph over my competition!" She declared as she did her trademark pose. "And that means Mr. Satan!"

The reporter sweat dropped.

"Yeah, just like the way you triumphed over your last math test!" Mars teased with a glare. "What was that grade you got? A nine out of one hundred if I remember correctly!"

Sailor Moon closed her eyes and rubbed the back of her head nervously. "Just because I got a bad grade doesn't mean I won't win here!"

"And Sailor Chibi Moon and Saturn are going to be facing each other in the finals of the junior division, just you watch!" Jupiter bragged.

The reporter smiled. "You guys are going to be the junior finalists huh?"

"You got it!" Chibi Moon chimed while Saturn was more reserved.

"Well, I wish good luck to all of you!" She said.

The Scouts nodded and went toward the entry area.

"What weirdoes…" The reporter muttered. "Those girls actually think they can beat Mr. Satan! Hey…there's the last of them! Great, I'm tired of brownnosing! Hi where are you guys from?!" She asked excitedly to Vegeta and Piccolo, who merely ignored her. "What about you?"

"Oh, I'm dead, just back for the day." Goku said as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

As he and the reporter talked, Piccolo destroyed the camera using telekinesis.

"I see Piccolo hasn't changed!" Goku laughed.

He and the rest of the Z Fighters made their way out into the preliminary area.

* * *

"Punch machine? Uh oh. I thought there was going to be some kind of preliminary tournament or something. Brute strength alone? That's so unfair!" Serena moped.

"Don't worry about it Serena." Ami reassured. "We can just use one of our attacks, but hold it in our hand secretly. I'm sure it'll work!"

"Yeah, what do we have to lose?!" Lita agreed.

"To test out the punching machine, the defending champion, Mr. Satan!" The preliminary referee declared.

"YEAH!" Mr. Satan roared as he came out. "Does anybody want this?!" He taunted as he held up his championship belt.

"Yuck! What a show off!" Mina hissed, the other scouts agreeing with a nod as they eyed him skeptically, the rest of the crowd cheering their heads off.

"Hey, it doesn't look like Saiyaman and his friends are that impressed either." Ami pointed out.

"Yeah, I wonder who those guys are?" Rei asked.

"I wanna know how that guy in the orange got that golden ring over his head to do that! That's so cool!" Serena gawked.

The other Scouts giggled along with her.

* * *

"I can't decide what's worse…him or his fans." Krillin muttered to Gohan.

"I'm sure you'll want a picture of this!" Mr. Satan roared and began to pose.

Both the Z Fighters and Sailor Scouts on opposite ends of the gathering looked at him like he was an idiot.

_This has to stop._ Piccolo thought, and then destroyed all of the cameras with his telekinesis.

* * *

The Sailor Scouts gave a nervous yelp when they saw the photograph equipment shatter.

"Where'd that come from?" Serena asked, wide-eyed.

"Don't know." Lita answered. "But it stopped that idiot!" She smirked. "Why not say hi to Saiyaman now?!"

* * *

"Piccolo?" Gohan asked.

"A ring is a place for fighters, not publicity-seekers, and I don't want you holding back any of your strength because you're afraid of being discovered. I want a good fight."

Gohan smiled, but his attention was quickly taken away by a few familiar voices. He turned and saw the Sailor Scouts waving at him again. Gohan laughed nervously and raised his hand at them. The glance was then broken off by Mr. Satan's growl.

"Haaaaaa!" He shouted as he psyched himself up. "SATAN PUNCH!" He yelled as he slammed his fist into the punching machine.

"Incredible! Mr. Satan has just scored 137 points!" The referee declared.

"Good luck to all you fighters! And I hope one of you can at least break 100 so we can have a decent match!" Mr. Satan said triumphantly, his fist raised in the air.

"All entries please form a line in front of the machine after you've been assigned a number." The referee ordered.

"And anyone who is entering the junior tournament please gather over here by me!"

"Guess that's your call!" Serena said as she knelt to Rini.

"Good luck you guys!" Ami wished to Rini and Hotaru.

The two girls smiled and hugged each of the Scouts, then happily ran over to where they were assigned.

* * *

"Ok kids, good luck!" Krillin wished to Goten and Trunks.

"…Sure." Trunks said, bummed, Goten having the same expression.

"Next up, number seven." The referee said.

Serena's heart began to pick up, it was her turn.

"Hey…isn't that Sailor Moon?" Some of the other fighters muttered among themselves.

Vegeta gave a cocky chuckle. "I bet she doesn't even score as high as that idiot Mr. Satan." He chuckled louder. "Sailor Moon…how absurd!"

Sailor Moon heard his mutterings. Her eyes began to water and her face turned red. But she resolved not to cry in front of him. She'd prove him wrong. With grit and determination, she stared down the machine. It would be difficult to do, but she'd channel her magic directly into her hands.

_Moon Power!_ She thought as she brought her fist hurtling towards the machine. Her gloved fist slammed into the machine as hard as she could make it.

"Incredible…150 points!" The referee shouted. _That girl just scored higher than Mr. Satan!_

"All right Sailor Moon!" Sailor Mars cheered as Moon smiled in a goofy fashion and held up two fingers.

Mars was up next. She glared at Vegeta, who glared back.

_I'll show that big jerk!_ She resolved. _Mars fire…_ She grimaced and punched the machine.

"Wow! 147 points!" The referee was again amazed.

Sailor Mars turned her head, looked back at Vegeta, narrowed her eyebrows, and stuck out her tongue, making a distinct spitting sound at the Saiyan Prince.

"I scored higher than you Rei!" Serena chimed.

"Shut up." The black-haired girl muttered.

The three other Sailor Scouts were next up. Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus, scored a 141, 154, and 145, respectively, each utilizing part of their magic.

"Hooray! We're going to get into the tournament!" Sailor Moon squealed as she and her fellow Scouts jumped up and down.

The referee and the other fighters were bewildered that these young girls had scored higher than the reigning world champion and defeater of Cell, Mr. Satan.

But their bewilderment would soon turn into outright shock.

"Next please, number eighteen!"

"Now, 18, remember to take it easy!" Krillin whispered.

"I know." The blonde android muttered.

* * *

"Hey, it's one of Saiyaman's friends." Lita whispered. "Let's see what these guys can do…"

* * *

Android 18 casually punched the machine, as if she put no effort at all into it.

"Seven hundred…and seventy…four?!" The referee trailed.

The fighters gawked, the Sailor Scouts included.

"It seems to be out of order…sorry about that." The referee said.

"That's what you call takin' it easy!?" Krillin asked his wife.

"It's not my fault these guys are weaklings!" She hissed.

* * *

Sailor Mercury took out her VR Visor and scanned the machine.

"No, guys." She whispered. "The machine isn't broken. That girl that seems to be associated with Saiyaman really did score 774!"

"And it didn't even look like she tried!" Venus whispered.

* * *

"Ok ma'm would you like to try again?" The referee asked with a smile.

Android 18 slightly crouched and carefully placed a blow on the machine.

"Two hundred…and three…" The referee gawked.

Krillin was next.

"One hundred…and…ninety two points…"

Goku punched the machine next.

"One hundred…and eighty six points…"

Piccolo next punched it.

"Two hundred and ten points…"

"The pressure mechanism seems to be broken, go get the other machine." The referee said to his assistant.

Vegeta next calmly walked up to the machine. On his way there he gave a cocky smirk to Sailor Mars, who quickly transitioned from a gawk to a glare. _Those little girls think they're so great, I'll show them what true power looks like!_ He was going to do it anyway, but those idiotic Sailor brats- especially that one in the red outfit gave him added impetus.

"Now stand aside!" Vegeta ordered to the referee.

"Uhh….oohhh…" He babbled.

Vegeta slammed his fist into the machine, breaking it to pieces and sending it flying across the arena, through a tree, and into the brick wall.

"Oh wow…" The referee's assistant said.

The Sailor Scouts all stood in drooped over, gape-mouthed, bug-eyed shock.

"Sailor Mars…I don't think you should anger this guy…" Sailor Venus suggested with her mouth still gaping.

Vegeta calmly turned, walking past the still stunned Sailor Scouts with a calm frown, paying no attention to them.

"Uhm…Serena?"

"Yes Mina?" She answered; all of the Scouts still had not blinked.

"Are you really sure you wanna fight in the tournament with those guys around?"

"No, Mina." She said with no emotion.

"Hey…what if that guy is one of Mordred's goons?" Lita asked angrily, finally coming out of her shocked state. "What if all of them are?!"

"Wouldn't that make Saiyaman one of Mordred's goons?" Serena asked.

Rei, Mina, and Lita moped.

"I don't think so." Rei answered. "Saiyaman has fought those weird creatures Mordred sends out with us more than once, and those guys are certainly very powerful…but I'm not sensing any bad vibes from them, not even that jerk with the worst haircut I've ever seen!" She hissed about Vegeta.

"Only one way to find out for sure though, we've gotta stick to it!" Mercury declared. "We've overcome impossible odds before!"

The Sailor Scouts smiled and nodded.

"Still…those guys stole our thunder. Way to steal our moment of triumph Saiyaman's friends!" Lita hissed.

* * *

"Hey Vegeta, I heard they're starting the junior competition in a few minutes. Do you wanna go?" Goku asked.

"Fine, anything's better than this lame sideshow!" Vegeta sneered.

Goku, Vegeta, Krillin, Piccolo, and Android 18 walked calmly toward the main arena, virtually parting the sea of gawkers around them.

* * *

"So, what's your status?" Mordred asked from his chair, engaging in telepathic communication as he sipped his wine.

"There's been a few…technical difficulties." A voice answered. "It seems that there are stronger people here than even we expected."

Mordred grinned. "Excellent." He said as his grey eyes glowed in the darkness of his lair's throne room.

* * *

**Sorry if that leeched off of Dragonball Z a bit much, but I hope you enjoyed the initial interactions between the Z Fighters and Sailor Scouts. Feel free to drop a review.**


	4. The Junior Competition

**This one is a mixture of comedy, intrigue, and action. Once again, it's sort of leeching off DBZ, but I'm glad to read that reviewers are enjoying the interaction between the characters and universes up to now.**

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**

"Wow Hotaru! This place is so cool!" Rini chimed to her friend. "Are you ready to go out and have some fun?"

"Yeah, I guess so." The purple-eyed girl answered her friend.

"What's the matter Hotaru? Why are you so sad?"

Hotaru smiled. "Oh! I'm not sad Rini! I guess I'm just not as excited as you are."

"You should be! It's not like anyone here is going to beat you!" Rini cheered. "You're gonna win the tournament for sure, and then you can go beat Mr. Satan too!"

"I guess." She said modestly. "But I guess I'm just worried about Mordred…what if he really does attack this thing? Then what do we do?"

Rini smiled. "Well, let's just hope that he doesn't and have fun while we can!"

Hotaru nodded with a closed-eyed smile and then looked in the direction she looked in before.

"Goten…why does that girl keep staring at us?" Trunks asked his best friend.

Goten turned his head and looked curiously at the girl they had seen earlier. She wore a white sailor outfit with purple and maroon highlights on it. The young half-Saiyan looked into her eyes and buckled- they were such deep purple- it felt like she was piercing into his soul.

"I don't know!" Goten answered his friend, trying to keep his eyes away.

"Hotaru, why do you keep looking at those two?" Rini referred to Trunks and Goten

"I don't know." She answered truthfully. "There's just something about them that's…different from everyone else here."

"Why don't we go and meet them?!" Rini asked excitedly.

"Huh?" Hotaru's eyes widened, but Rini was already off. She smiled, Rini was always so excited and energetic, and she certainly brought joy to those lucky enough to be her friends.

* * *

"Toys I guess!" Goten answered his friend's question.

"You're such a toddler!" Trunks stated.

"What about you?"

"I'm not sure what I'm gonna buy."

"Yeah, I guess when your family is the richest in the world there aren't many toys you don't have!" Goten smiled.

"Your family is the richest in the world?"

Goten and Trunks turned their heads to see the pink-haired girl standing right in front of them with a big smile on her face.

"Yeah!" Goten answered with an equally big smile. "Trunks' grandfather is the founder of Capsule Corp!"

"Really?! Wow!" Rini gushed. "I'm Rini, rhymes with tiny!" She introduced herself.

"I'm Goten!" He shook her hand with an equally large smile. "And this is Trunks!"

"Hi." Trunks said, less excited than his friend was.

"And this is Hotaru!" Rini exclaimed as she introduced her friend.

"Hello." Hotaru said modestly as she lowered her eyes. "I'm Hotaru, it's nice to meet you both."

"Hi Hotaru!" Goten smiled.

"What's the matter Trunks? You don't look too happy." Hotaru asked.

Trunks eyed the girl calmly. "I wanted to fight in the adult division. This is so lame! Everyone here is such a weakling!"

Hotaru and Rini eyed him curiously.

"What makes you say that?" Hotaru asked.

"HEY HALF-PINT!" A voice interrupted the four.

They looked over to see a tall blond boy walking towards them.

"You're gonna be my first victim! I hope you're wearing your diapers! And then I'm gonna pound your friend and your little girlfriends into the pavement!"

"Hey, you're really mean!" Rini yelled.

Hotaru said nothing, only eyeing the boy with a somewhat hurt look in her eyes while Goten looked curiously at him. Trunks only gave him a dismissive frown. The rude boy only laughed at the girl.

"I'm gonna get you little miss cotton candy, right after him!" He then threw a punch at Trunks, who didn't move or blink at all. "Don't you flinch?" He asked surprised.

Rini and Hotaru were equally surprised. Goten only kept the same curious stare.

"Not from…weaklings." Trunks smirked. "You had best walk away."

"You just sealed your fate shorty! I'm gonna beat you so hard you'll have a concussion!"

"Sounds fun." Trunks smirked.

"Huh?" Rini and Hotaru muttered, surprised.

"You mean…you're not the least bit scared?" Rini asked Trunks as the boy named Idasa walked away.

"Why should I be scared of such a weakling?" Trunks asked matter-of-factly.

Hotaru looked in curiosity at the two boys…she knew something was different about them, and she wanted to find out just what it was.

* * *

"Oh no! Doesn't that guy ever stop?!" Rei hissed as the tournament announcer introduced Mr. Satan.

"I can't believe people don't get sick of seeing him. It makes me question the whole theory of diminishing returns." Ami stated academically.

The other Sailor Scouts sighed and drooped their heads over the balcony they stood on.

"Now before we get the junior competition rolling, we've got a surprise treat for all you loyal fans and I know you're gonna love it!"

"Oh boy! A surprise treat!" Serena yelped in excitement. "Where is it?! Where is it?!" She asked as she zipped around, looking for what the announcer had stated. A second later, she was painfully smacked by Rei.

"Don't you realize he hasn't revealed it yet?!" She sneered.

"Oh…" Serena moped with watery eyes.

"Hey, look!" Mina pointed, getting their attention away from the quarrel. "It's a blimp…with a TV screen!"

"Seven years ago, the world was left hanging in suspense when the live transmission of the Cell Games was violently interrupted!" The announcer stated excitedly. "But we have now completed an historic reenactment of that day for you all to see!"

"Uh oh…this probably won't be good." Mina said with wide eyes, the other Scouts nodding in agreement with her.

* * *

Goku, Krillin, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Android 18 watched the scene from their own balcony opposite from the one the Sailor Scouts were standing on.

"This won't be pretty…" Krillin muttered.

* * *

_Waves and rocks! This show is brought to you by waves and rocks._

The movie opened showing a figure standing in a ring.

"_Ha! Ha!"_ A man in a Cell costume laughed.

* * *

"Oh you're kidding!" Krillin said in disbelief.

* * *

"Just when you thought you'd seen it all…" Lita trailed with wide eyes.

* * *

"_We will stop you Cell Monster!"_ A figure dressed in orange with golden hair declared.

The camera panned out to show the speaker and his friends.

* * *

"That's me!" Goku said with a goofy smile.

Piccolo and Vegeta grimaced upon seeing themselves in the movie.

* * *

"_Ha Ha! It is I Cell who will instead beat you! Ha Ha!"_ Cell declared.

"_Let's fight now!"_ The man in orange challenged.

The two figures took off in the air, with obvious strings pulling their arms and legs to cause them to punch and kick at each other.

* * *

"It's…sickening!" Piccolo sneered.

"Aww lighten up!" Goku replied as Cell's laughing face filled the screen. "I think it's kind of…funny!" Goku countered.

* * *

Mina smiled evilly and turned her face away for a second, doing something with her hair.

"Sailor Scouts…!" She trailed with an evil voice.

The four girls widened their eyes in curiosity and turned around.

"I am Cell and I've come back to kill you!" She boomed.

The Scouts freaked out, but in a second realized that it was only Mina, who had somehow stuck her hair up to look like Cell's head and seemingly pulled purple makeup out of thin air to paint on the sides of her face.

"That wasn't cool Mina!" Lita glared as the blonde laughed, undoing her hair and scrubbing off the makeup.

"I had you all good didn't I?!" She bellowed triumphantly.

"Just shut up and watch the movie!" Serena hissed with a red face, the other Scouts nodding in agreement with their narrowed glares.

* * *

"_You gang of strangers were not…hard…but easy!"_ Cell declared in triumph, the gathered fighters were down and out cold.

"_Rats, we have lost!"_ The man in orange, the only one still conscious, grimaced.

"_Ha ha ha! Now that I have…beaten you I will blow up the world!"_ Cell said.

"_Wait! You haven't beaten me!"_

The dust storm cleared to reveal a roaring Mr. Satan, his championship belt gleaming in the sun.

* * *

_Ugh…this is embarrassing, and they've got my expression all wrong!_ Mr. Satan thought.

* * *

"Well…at least they've gotten his expression right…" Rei trailed, the other Scouts nodding in agreement with her.

* * *

"_You look…very strong! Here is a fireball!"_ Cell held out his hand, but secretly stepped on a switch, causing an explosion. _"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha…ha!"_

"_Stop your laughing!"_

"_What…but how did you…escape?"_

"_Your useless tricks are stupid…and useless!"_ Mr. Satan stated.

"_Take my…monster rays!"_ Cell said as he stepped on another switch, sending out two spears near Mr. Satan.

"_Ha ha! But nothing you do…ha ah has scared me!"_ Mr. Satan declared as he broke them.

"_Oh my but now I am scared…please will you…forgive me?"_ Cell begged as he got on his knees and bowed.

"_No! Ha ha! How can I forgive an evil monster like you?! You are a bad person and you do not want…to change!"_ Mr. Satan bellowed.

Cell panicked as Mr. Satan punched him three times and kicked him out of the ring. Cell's head smacked into a rock formation.

"_Ah…I…ah I'm losing."_ He said as he fell and hit the ground.

"_Mr. Satan is great!"_ The man in orange admired.

"_I wish…I were him!"_ A black haired man in armor agreed.

"_I am…beaten! Ah."_ Cell said and then exploded.

"_Justice always wins!"_ A triumphant Mr. Satan declared, holding two fingers up in a peace sign.

* * *

The movie ended and the credits began to roll, the crowd cheering wildly.

The Z Fighters stood with bewildered looks on their faces, Piccolo and Vegeta with bewildered frowns.

Goku laughed. "Well it was ridiculous and…untrue, but it kept me entertained!" He rubbed his head.

* * *

The Sailor Scouts also stood with bewildered looks in their eyes.

"Well…we can at least give them credit for trying!" Serena stated, always finding the good in something.

* * *

"The movie you just saw will be on sale at every exit for only $19.95." The announcer told the crowd.

* * *

"It certainly wasn't based on a true story…and the acting and special effects were beyond abysmal, but you know what the golden rule in the entertainment industry is, Michelle and Trista- give the people what they want. I'm sure it'll be a top seller." A woman with short dirty blonde hair declared with a slightly embarrassed smile.

The two women seated on either side of her, one with turquoise hair and the other with dark green hair smiled and agreed with her.

"But did you see that incarnation of Piccolo in the movie?! Oh, I'd kill to be able to see the look on Piccolo's face if he ever saw that!" Michelle genuinely laughed.

"He'd probably yell at you, call you a weak human, and go to wherever it is he goes." Trista giggled. "You do have to give Mr. Satan credit though. He's a complete idiot, and a pathetic weakling, but he sure does know how to market himself."

"Try telling that to Piccolo." Amara smirked sarcastically. "Anyway, I really wish they'd hurry up and start this thing. This is getting boring."

Michelle and Trista nodded in agreement.

* * *

"Now let's grease those fighting gears and start the junior competition!" The announcer shouted.

* * *

"It's amazing how it's changed. Crazy huh?" Krillin asked.

"It looks like the ring's a bit bigger this year." Goku smiled.

"Good, it makes for better fighting." Piccolo grunted.

"Look! Trunks and Goten!" Krillin pointed as the kids came out into the ring. "And it looks like they might have made friends with those girls that we met earlier, you know, the ones with all of Gohan's girlfriends!" He grinned at the last remark- too bad Gohan wasn't there at the moment.

Piccolo glanced equally at Trunks, Goten, and the two girls beside them as the ring announcer explained the rules of the junior competition.

* * *

"Hey! There's Rini and Hotaru!" Serena pointed excitedly.

"GO GO SCOUTS!" They began to cheer.

* * *

Soon enough the junior competition was underway, and the amateur nature of the fights was quickly becoming apparent.

"Boy, this is about as much fun as watching wallpaper dry." Krillin muttered.

* * *

"It must be so hard for these kids, trying to fight in front of all these people." Ami said with concern. "I just hope that won't stop Hotaru, you know how shy she can be- but she should be able to win this competition without much effort."

Serena nodded.

"Hey look." Rei pointed as the next fight was beginning. "It's one of those kids that was with Saiyaman's crew."

This caught the other Scouts' attention. They looked closely at the lavender-haired boy as he made his way out to the ring, catching that his name was Trunks.

"If the adults among that group are any indication…" Lita started. "That boy should be very powerful, just look at the look on his face!"

"Hey…don't you think he sort of looks like that big jerk that broke the punching machine?" Mina whispered.

Rei gasped. "You're right! He does! Well…except for the hair. But he must be that guy's son!"

The Sailor Scouts fixed their gazes intensely to the ring, very curious about this boy.

* * *

"Are you ready to cry short stack?" The boy, Idasa, asked cockily.

"Please…don't talk." Trunks muttered dismissively.

"Hah! You sure you don't wanna beg?"

"You sure you wanna…live?" Trunks muttered.

"Let's go!" The ring announcer stated, officially declaring the match underway.

"C'mon you little short cake! Fight!" Idasa yelled.

"Don't you worry, you'll feel it soon enough, big mouth." Trunks dismissed. He then zipped to the ground, easily swept the fifteen-year-old Idasa off his feet, and kicked him at least twenty feet into the air. The boy landed painfully on his head, and Trunks left, knowing his opponent was out cold. "Oops, guess I shouldn't have hit him so hard, but at least he's quiet." Trunks sneered.

"This boy is out cold! Trunks advances!" The ring announcer declared.

* * *

The Sailor Scouts gawked in jaw-dropping amazement.

"Guys…that Trunks kid is like his dad isn't he?" Rei asked, wishing it wasn't true.

"Yes, Rei…he's like his dad." Mina said in amazement.

"Well…it looks like Hotaru is actually going to have some competition…" Ami declared as sanely as she could.

* * *

Rini and Hotaru looked on in the same shock their Sailor peers displayed on the balcony above. Goten turned away from the conversation he was having with them to talk to Trunks.

"You sure did beat that boy fast, Trunks." Goten grinned. Hotaru and Rini merely shifted their shocked eyes to the two, in disbelief that they were acting as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"You see now why I wanted to fight in the adult competition?" Trunks asked. "Do ya?"

"Uh huh." Goten grinned.

"Wait…how did you do that?" Hotaru asked with wide eyes as they made their way back inside. Rini was equally curious.

"I don't know…training?" Trunks asked sarcastically.

Hotaru was slightly hurt by Trunks rude vocal tone. Her eyes and head drooped.

"Hey Hotaru! Don't be upset, you're gonna do just as good!" Rini encouraged.

"Yeah, don't take Trunks' attitude to heart. He's a really nice guy; he doesn't hate you or anything!" Goten added. "Anyway, it's my turn now!" Goten said after a few minutes when he heard his name called.

"Good luck Goten!" Rini waved.

* * *

"All right Goten! Woohoo yeah!" Goku yelled from his balcony.

"He looks like a miniature you, Goku!" Krillin smiled.

"Awww, what a little guy! And handsome too!" Goku smiled at his son.

* * *

"Ok…there's that other one that was with Saiyaman." Serena said, her eyes narrowed as if she was carefully examining the scene.

Rei would have taken an opportunity to crack on Serena for the look on her face, usually to say something like 'it's a shame you just can't seem to use those powers of observation on any of your studies,' but she was equally curious, her arms folded across her chest.

Mina, Lita, and Ami all had their eyes firmly glued on the little boy.

"He looks nervous." Ami said. "But I wonder if it's because of his opponent or if it's stage fright."

* * *

"For yer sake, I'm gonna end this quick, capiche?" The boy named Ikosa stated confidently.

"All right fighters are you ready?" The announcer asked. "Let the match begin!"

"What's the matter kid? Are you scared?! C'mon, it ain't gonna hurt that bad! Let's do it!"

"Are you ok?" Goten asked, as he observed his opponent was wearing down.

"Yeah right kid! Am I ok? Man, yer askin' for it!" He shouted, and then threw a punch, which Goten easily blocked with only one finger.

* * *

The Sailor Scouts' jaws dropped again.

"He blocked it with one finger…" Mina babbled, her sky blue eyes wide as the sky itself.

* * *

Goten easily blocked Ikosa's kick.

"Hey, stop fooling around. C'mon let's be serious."

Ikosa frowned in disbelief, but then regained his arrogant tone.

"Touché, so you know some martial arts after all! Not bad for a pint-sized kid!"

He then proceeded to throw a flurry of punches and kicks at Goten, all of which were easily rebuffed.

"This is it? This isn't very fun…" Goten stated with no emotion. He then threw a light jab at Ikosa's chin, which knocked the boy straight on his back. Goten bowed to the crowd, knowing he had won.

* * *

"Yeah! Thatta boy! All right Goten!" Goku shouted excitedly.

"What a cliffhanger." Sarcasm oozed from Krillin's voice.

* * *

"Folks, we have a winner! Let's hear it for Goten!" The announcer declared.

* * *

Amara's mouth was wide open, and Michelle and Trista had bewildered faces as they looked at the ring.

"Unreal…there's something very strange about those two kids!" She said.

"I don't…sense anything…" Michelle trailed.

"Nevertheless, you don't see many seven or eight year-olds who can do that. You don't see that many _adults_ like that." Trista said seriously. "We need to keep an eye on those two!"

Amara and Michelle looked at her and nodded.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, it was Hotaru's turn.

"You're gonna do great Hotaru!" Rini chimed, causing her friend to smile.

Hotaru strode out toward the ring with all the confidence of Sailor Saturn, remembering her fight with Pharaoh 90 to get over any stage fright.

Trunks' eyebrows perked up at her confidence level.

* * *

"Next up we've got a great match!" The announcer said to get the crowd excited. "It's thirteen-year-old Sailor Saturn, versus fourteen-year-old Ernesto!"

Hotaru's opponent was a tall and relatively muscular boy with short gloves and wearing grey shorts. He looked at his opponent with cockiness as they stepped into the ring. Hotaru was paying no attention to him.

* * *

"Hey! There's Sailor Saturn!" Lita pointed.

"GO GO SATURN!" The Scouts cheered.

* * *

Sailor Saturn's ears perked up and she turned her face to see her cheering squad. She closed her eyes, smiled, and waved.

* * *

"This won't last long." Piccolo stated in a low voice.

"Hah!" Vegeta laughed cockily. "That little girl is going to get pounded into the pavement! Just leave that boy up to Trunks!"

"Yeah..." Goku agreed. "That guy looks pretty good…for a regular human that is."

"Wrong." Piccolo corrected. "That guy has no idea what he's up against. I'll give him a minute- and that's only if he's extremely lucky."

"What do you mean Piccolo?" Goku suddenly got serious, knowing that Piccolo was.

"What I mean is that Trunks and Goten actually have some competition."

"What?" Vegeta huffed in surprise.

"You can't be serious, Piccolo…" Krillin trailed.

"Watch and you'll see."

The Z Fighters narrowed their eyes and examined the ring with very intense gazes.

* * *

"And…LET THE MATCH BEGIN!" The announcer shouted, the crowd cheering him.

"Please." Sailor Saturn began. "I don't want to hurt you. Please, give up now."

"Hah! You must be joking!" The slick-haired young man said. "I'm gonna choke you until you see stars!"

Sailor Saturn closed her eyes and made a somber expression, startling her opponent.

"YAAAAA!" Ernesto yelled as he charged forward.

Saturn opened her eyes and dodged his punch, then his spinning back kick. She responded by implanting a kick into Ernesto's gut, then punched him in the face, staggering him back a few steps.

"Why you little!" Ernesto charged, but Sailor Saturn narrowed her eyes.

Sailor Saturn gazed at him intensely when he brought his fist near her. He felt an immense force pushing back against him until suddenly a white light flashed in his face, followed by an explosion.

A second later, Ernesto tumbled all the way across the ring and collided painfully with the ground, bouncing twice before he was at rest.

The crowd was silent as the scene became clear, just as shocked as they were with Trunks and Goten's antics.

"Outside of the ring!" The ring announcer yelled. "Sailor Saturn is the winner!"

Sailor Saturn gave a slightly warm smile and began to walk out of the ring.

* * *

Goku gasped, as did the other Z Fighters, even Vegeta.

"Piccolo, what was that?!" Goku asked.

"I told you." Piccolo stated matter-of-factly. "Vegeta, you shouldn't have been so militant with those Sailor Scouts we met earlier. Don't be fooled by their appearance or seeming lack of strength- they are more powerful than you think."

"What?" Vegeta asked, coming back to his senses. "Explain yourself, Namek!"

"Yeah, I should have been able to sense an attack like that from ten thousand miles away, and I felt nothing!" Krillin remarked, the other Z Fighters agreeing with him.

"The Sailor Scouts, there are nine in all, ten if you count the pink-haired one. Each represents their guardian planet, and Sailor Moon represents the moon. Physically, they are not very powerful, certainly no match for us in that regard. It's their magic that makes them truly formidable opponents. The reason you couldn't sense that attack was because it wasn't a physical attack represented by physical energy- the ones that we're so used to, but a magical one, represented by ethereal energy- the other plane of the universe. That one was Sailor Saturn. Physically, she's the weakest one of them all, but her ethereal powers far surpass those of her peers. That girl can destroy an entire planet if she wanted to."

All of them widened their eyes and gasped.

"…And these Scouts, they're on the good side, right?" Goku asked, even Vegeta and Android 18 paid very close attention in their wait for the Namek's answer.

"Yeah." Piccolo smiled. "In fact, since our battle with Cell, they've been the ones protecting the Earth from evil. You guys couldn't sense the battles because you can't sense the ethereal energy that they emit when they fight."

"And how do you know all of this?" Vegeta spat.

"I've been assisting the Guardian of the Earth, remember?" Piccolo answered in a way that let Vegeta know that he should have known.

Vegeta grunted.

"Uhh, Piccolo." Krillin said to get his attention. "Can you teach us how to sense this ethereal energy? It sounds like it might be useful."

Piccolo smiled as he saw all four of them, even Vegeta, giving him the same look. "Sure, some other time though."

* * *

"Hey! What do you know?! It seems the champ; Mr. Satan has come out to congratulate the recent winner!" The announcer yelled.

Sailor Saturn's eyes widened as she looked up to see Mr. Satan standing in front of her as she was going to make her way back to the locker room.

"I…just want to say…" He struggled not to reveal his utter shock. "I saw your match and you're really good!"

The crowd cheered wildly, but the thunder instantly broke as Sailor Saturn merely broke eye contact and walked around the world champion and back to the locker room as if he were not even there. Mr. Satan's triumphant eyes severely constricted and his expression turned to shock. His arms were still raised.

* * *

"Well, at least she knows to snub Mr. Satan!" Krillin grinned, as did everyone else, except Vegeta.

* * *

"You did great, Hotaru!" Rini ran and hugged her.

The calm and confident demeanor of Sailor Saturn gave way to the warm and shy nature of Hotaru Tomoe, who hugged her friend and thanked her.

"How did you do that?" Trunks asked in a slightly hostile tone. Goten nodded with wide eyes.

She smiled. "I can't tell you that, Trunks."

_Fine then, I'll just have to find out for myself._ Trunks thought as he Hotaru and Rini talked.

* * *

The junior tournament proceeded as expected. Trunks, Goten, Hotaru and Rini all proceeded cleanly and easily through their matches. Trunks faced Rini in the first semi-final, which, to no one's surprise, Trunks easily won, going easy on her by merely grabbing her, walking to the edge of the ring, and dropping her to the ground.

The Sailor Scouts, Darien, who sat in the sixth row on the western side of the ring, the cats (who he had hidden in a bag), and Amara, Michelle, and Trista all sighed with relief that the obviously powerful youth hadn't hurt her. Rini was a tough kid, no doubt about that, but it was obvious that she wouldn't be a match for the mysterious kids associated with Saiyaman, Trunks and Goten.

The Z Fighters were also happy that Trunks had gone easy on the girl, even Vegeta.

* * *

"Ok all you martial arts fans! Who's ready for the second junior semi-final?!"

The crowd cheered, announcing they were.

"Up next, we have two obviously talented kids, thirteen-year-old Sailor Saturn, versus seven-year-old Goten. Let's give e'm a hand!"

The crowd roared and cheered again.

* * *

The Z Fighters narrowed their eyes.

"This will be a test." Piccolo announced. The others agreed with him. He especially was curious to see how these two wildly different fighting styles, physical versus ethereal would fare against one another in combat. The Z fighters fixated serious gazes on the ring.

* * *

"Ok, here we go." Rei said to the other Scouts.

"Hotaru is facing some serious competition here. I hope she won't get hurt." Serena said.

"If you didn't want anyone to get hurt, you came to the wrong place!" Mina smiled, her humor slightly breaking the nervous tension.

* * *

Amara, Michelle, and Trista watched the two fighters with a very intense look, along with Darien and the cats at their own seats. Bulma, Chi Chi, and the others around them couldn't help but be curious as well.

* * *

"All right, let the match begin!" The announcer yelled in excitement.

"I like you Goten, but I won't go easy on you like I've been doing with all the others." Saturn said confidently.

"Well I won't either!" Goten grinned. He then rushed forward and disappeared.

This startled Saturn, especially when he reappeared right in front of her. It took all of her instincts to avoid the punch that Goten threw at her- which she knew if it did hit her would either knock her out or send her flying across the ring, if not out of it. She took the chance to throw a kick at Goten, but he dematerialized again, her kick hitting nothing but air.

Saturn's eyes widened as that thought flashed in her head. She remembered the last time she had faced Mordred. _He had_ used that technique! She narrowed her eyes, searching for him.

"Here I am!" A happy-sounding voice yelled as Goten reappeared, charging right toward her with his fist clenched.

Saturn turned her head in shock to see the sight. As calmly as she could, she summoned a barrier just as Goten was about to punch her in the face.

"Uh oh!" Goten yelled, knowing what would come next if he didn't get out of there. He jumped in the air and back flipped until he got to the opposite end of the ring.

Saturn lowered the barrier and watched her opponent get into another fighting stance.

* * *

"Wow, guess it's time for round two." Goku observed, clearly enjoying the fight along with satiating his curiosity. "Goten looks in top form, but that Sailor Saturn is no pushover either!"

* * *

"That kid is no joke!" Serena observed, amazed. "He managed to avoid Sailor Saturn's barrier!"

It was just as she lifted her head a bit that she noticed five figures standing on a balcony on the opposite side of the stadium. The other Scouts quickly fixed their eyes on the figures too. They saw the same people that were hanging around with Saiyaman earlier, including the one in the orange gi, who made friendly eye contact with Serena and nodded. Serena's eyes sparkled at his warm demeanor and she smiled with a nod too. Obviously, that man was Goten's father.

* * *

Rini watched the fight with a big smile on her face, while Trunks watched with the same intense frown his father usually wore.

* * *

"Oh hey, I know!" Goten shouted.

"Know what?" Saturn asked.

"Ka…me…"

A blue ball of energy began to form in Goten's hands. The Sailor Scouts began to drop their jaws and widen their eyes.

"Ha…me…HAAA!"

Sailor Saturn's eyes widened in shock as the blast of blue energy zipped toward her. She desperately brought up a force field, damn the tournament rules for not allowing her to have her Silence Glaive for the Silence Wall technique! Both Goten and Saturn grimaced in the struggle, Goten trying to break through her barrier and Saturn trying to dispel the technique.

* * *

Amara, Michelle, and Trista grimaced.

"That boy is using some of the same moves that Mordred uses!" Amara exclaimed. "That blast is pure energy! That dematerialization technique too!"

"Yeah, but Piccolo does the same things, he's not one of Mordred's goons is he?" Michelle asked sarcastically, letting Amara know that she had no right to jump to conclusions yet.

Trista said the same thing to Amara with her eyes.

* * *

Goten stopped the attack, sending the blue wave up into the sky, though vaporizing a decoration on the locker room building along the way. He then charged forward again, disappearing two feet in front of Sailor Saturn's face.

"What?!" She gasped in surprise. A second later, she heard him reappear, and just managed to dodge his kick, back flipping out of the way.

Goten threw an energy blast at her. Sailor Saturn just managed to block it with a barrier and landed on her feet. Goten grimaced and threw more blasts at Sailor Saturn, the Soldier of Silence blocking them with her barrier but staggering back.

Sailor Saturn gasped as Goten jumped up into the air and came flying down at her, ready to kick her on the top of her head. By pure instinct, Saturn managed to summon another energy barrier, a stronger version, just as Goten was about to make contact with her head.

"Uh oh!" Goten knew what was happening immediately, but was too late to stop it.

Sailor Saturn used her barrier's explosive energy to send Goten flying back.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Goten yelled as he spiraled through the air, desperately trying to catch himself, but his butt landed outside the ring before he could, both of his heels digging into the grass.

The crowd was shocked to silence from the explosion.

"…Goten is outside of the ring. Sailor Saturn advances to the final!"

* * *

The Z Fighters gasped in shock as the Sailor Scouts cheered their fellow Scout onward.

"Wow…I guess there is a lot more to these Sailor Scouts than meets the eye." Goku said with a bewildered look on his face.

"She beat Goten…" Krillin trailed in shock.

Even Vegeta was shocked.

* * *

Sailor Saturn smiled at Goten as she helped him up, who thanked her.

"Sorry Goten, but you shouldn't have come at me from such a wide angle. I saw you clearly and then it was only a matter of timing."

Goten smiled and nodded at her. She turned her back to look at Trunks, her opponent in the final. Both sets of eyes locked onto each other in serious competitive gazes.

"Hey!" Gohan yelled as he ran toward his father with Videl. "What happened?! Goten lost?!"

"I'm afraid so, Gohan." Goku confirmed.

"But who could possibly have beaten him besides Trunks?!"

"Sailor Saturn, Gohan." Piccolo explained. "Gohan, I think you should know a bit more about these girls you've sort of befriended." Piccolo said as he got ready to tell Gohan what he had told the others.

* * *

"Hey! There's Saiyaman!" Mina, Lita, and Rei shouted. "Let's go over there!"

Ami put her hand on her forehead in frustration.

"Yes, let's go." Sailor Moon said which surprised all of them. "I want to meet them, all of them!"

The Scouts nodded and proceeded to walk over.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, the junior finals will begin in just a few short minutes, please stay in your seats!" The announcer told.

* * *

**What?! Saturn beat Goten?! How will she fare against Trunks? And what is Mordred up to? Is he up to anything? Stay tuned for the next installment of Dragon Sailor Ball Z Moon!**

**Ok, that was my lame sense of humor talking, forgive me. -_-**


	5. Trunks vs Saturn & the Strange Meeting

"HI GREAT SAIYAMAN!"

Gohan, who was engaging in conversation with the other Z Fighters and Videl was startled at the voices.

"Oh, hi guys." Gohan's startled voice managed to choke out.

"Gohan…introduce us to your friends!" Goku smiled.

"So your name is Gohan." Sailor Mars stated inquisitively.

"Dad!" Gohan scolded, which caused Goku to give an embarrassed smile and rub the back of his head.

"And this guy is your dad, Saiya…I mean Gohan?" Sailor Jupiter asked.

Goku smiled. "Hi, my name is Goku!" He held his hand out, which Sailor Moon shook. "It seems you've already met Gohan. This is Vegeta, Krillin, Android 18, and Piccolo, and that's Gohan's friend Videl." Goku said as he introduced the others. Sailors Venus, Mars, and Jupiter furrowed their eyebrows at Videl's name, and she returned the favor. Krillin greeted with a wave and smile, while Android 18 merely gave a half-hearted hand raise. Piccolo and Vegeta did not make any gestures at all.

"Well, it's nice to meet you guys!" Sailor Moon smiled. "Gohan, it only seems fair that we tell you our real names, seeing as we know yours now!" Gohan grimaced at that. "I'm Serena, and this is Mina, Ami, Rei, and Lita." She said as she pointed the other Scouts out, who greeted warmly.

"Oh guys, do you know Piccolo?" Gohan asked. "I thought I just introduced you to him today, but he knows a lot about you guys."

Piccolo looked at the Sailor Scouts with distant coolness, his arms crossed.

"…No, we've never met him before you introduced us to him, Gohan." Serena trailed with surprise.

Rei eyed the Namek, trying to get a read on him, but Piccolo wouldn't give off any clues.

"Oh hey, Goku, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Mina!"

"How did you get that gold ring to float over your head like that? Serena and I think it's really cool!" Serena joined Mina in a sparkly-eyed nod.

"This? Oh, I'm dead, just back for the day." Goku said casually.

Serena and Mina's eyes constricted until they were black dots. The other Scouts went bug-eyed. They looked around. Goku and Krillin were smiling, Gohan was laughing nervously, and Vegeta, Piccolo, and Android 18 all looked at them like it was the most normal thing in the world. Only Videl had a somewhat shocked look on her face.

"…Yeah, you must like to tell a lot of jokes, Goku." Ami stated.

"No, I'm not kidding! You see, seven years ago when we-

"Hey look, the match is starting." Piccolo's low, yet loud voice interrupted. He narrowed his eyes at Goku- as powerful as he was, Goku just talked too much for his own good.

"All right martial arts fans! It's now time for the match you've all been waiting for: the junior finals!" The fans began to cheer at the announcer. "Let's introduce our finalists! Both of these young people have shown very impressive talents that have amazed us all throughout this competition! They're eight-year-old Trunks, and thirteen-year-old Sailor Saturn! Let's give them a round of applause as they make their way to the ring!"

"This is going to be good!" Goku said. "Your friend fights very well, Sailor Scouts!"

"I'll say!" Krillin agreed. "I thought that it was a sure bet that Trunks and Goten would easily sweep through to the final, but your friend Sailor Saturn is really something!" He complimented. "I'd sure like to learn how to use those barriers."

"Hotaru is an incredibly gifted warrior." Serena declared. "I'm sure glad she's on our side! But she's also a very close friend and she sure does mean a lot to all of us."

Gohan, Goku, Krillin, and even Piccolo and Android 18 smiled at Serena's kind voice. Vegeta huffed.

"Well, I guess that's the only thing you can say because no one wants to be friends with you, Mister Nasty." Rei scoffed.

Gohan's eyes widened under his sunglasses and he tried to smile and laugh to break the tension, knowing full well Vegeta's immensely short fuse.

"Don't take what Vegeta says to heart, Rei. He's very prideful, but deep down inside I know he really cares about all of us." Goku smiled, causing Vegeta to grimace and grunt. Even Piccolo smirked sarcastically.

"So Gohan, I guess that was your brother that Sailor Saturn beat." Mina said, coming up to him to start conversation. Videl glared at her, but Mina gave her a coy look, telling her that she wasn't afraid.

"Yeah. She must be good; I'm really looking forward to seeing what she can do."

* * *

"Just so you know." Trunks glared at Sailor Saturn. "Goten held back when he was fighting you. I won't."

This roused her suspicion. "What do you mean?" Saturn narrowed her eyes.

"Oh don't worry, you'll find out soon enough." His smirk grew.

"LET THE MATCH BEGIN!" The announcer yelled.

Sailor Saturn smirked. She held out both hands and released a wave of energy. It was completely silent and invisible. Trunks only managed to dodge the awesome white explosion at the end because he could feel the vibrations in the air that it caused. He took off into the air.

"Haven't seen that attack before."

Saturn smirked as she looked up at the lavender-haired boy. "I guess Goten wasn't the only one holding something back."

Trunks frowned. _This is so weird._ He thought as he floated in the air. _Why wasn't I able to sense that attack, or any other move she's made throughout this entire tournament? It doesn't make any sense!_

"Coming down from there?" Saturn challenged.

Trunks smirked. He dematerialized, rematerialized in the ring, and charged toward Sailor Saturn. She turned toward him and drew up her guard, preparing to erect a barrier, but there was a mirage right at the last moment. Saturn's purple eyes widened, but she soon felt a tremendous force sweeping her feet off their center of gravity. She saw Trunks about to kick her stomach, but Saturn summoned a barrier and Trunks floated away just before the explosion would have sent him flying. He landed on the opposite end of the ring. Sailor Saturn got up from her Trunks-induced fall and brushed herself off.

* * *

"Woah." Krillin said. "That was a new attack!"

"And completely silent too!" Gohan observed. "Looks useful."

"How did Trunks make a mirage image of himself like that?" Mina asked in curiosity beside Gohan. "That is so cool!"

Videl's eyes were shocked, even more so after the next thing that came out of Goku's mouth.

"That looked like a good warm up." Goku said with a smile.

"Man, your kids are no joke." Lita smiled at Goku and Vegeta. "We thought for sure that Hotaru was gonna win this thing easy!"

Vegeta grunted and sneered.

* * *

Trunks rushed forward. He thrust his foot out, but Saturn put up another barrier. Trunks foolishly tried to blast her at point blank range, but the wall easily dispelled the yellow beam and the force sent Trunks spiraling into the air. He was up to the level of the Z Fighters' and Sailor Scouts' balcony when he stopped himself and flew down.

Sailor Saturn hadn't moved from her spot. She then began to run toward Trunks, surprising him greatly. He charged, as she expected, and so she did a back flip to get behind him.

Trunks turned his head to see a grinning Sailor Saturn. She then sent out the same silent wave of energy that she had sent at the beginning, and the explosion knocked right into Trunks' back.

"Oh no! Young Tunks seems to have been hit and is spiraling across the ring! Will he fall out?" The announcer yelled.

"No way." Trunks muttered as he saw the ground zooming past him. He was now outside of the ring, but caught himself before he fell to the ground, confidently floating back inside the white square, and landed on his feet.

"Oh my!" The announcer said as the crowd was shocked. "It looks like the match will continue!"

"You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" Trunks asked in a low voice.

Sailor Saturn smiled and got in a fighting stance.

* * *

"Wow, I guess all that candy snatching training came in handy after all!" Goten grinned.

"Candy snatching training?" Rini asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah! You see, a lot of times, Trunks and I would sneak candy out of our moms' kitchens, we'd take it and throw it out the window, and we'd have to fly around to catch the small pieces. It improved our speed and coordination, and we also got to eat a lot of candy too!" Goten grinned.

Rini laughed. "I like you Goten! You're funny!"

Goten gave his father's characteristic goofy grin.

"HOORAY HOTARU! HOORAY TRUNKS! YOU GUYS ROCK!" Rini cheered.

* * *

Trunks grimaced and charged straight at Sailor Saturn. Saturn's purple eyes narrowed as she prepared to defend. Suddenly, Trunks disappeared right in front of her face, just as she was about to bring her barrier up. Two purple eyes widened as she turned her head around looking for where he was.

"I'm here!" Trunks yelled in a challenge, very much like the way his father did.

Sailor Saturn gasped as she heard Trunks reappear right behind her. She gasped louder when Trunks grabbed her arms in a full nelson and took off into the sky, going higher than the stadium's nosebleed section.

Sailor Saturn screamed in pain and winced as Trunks tightened his hold.

"Give up!" The lavender-haired boy ordered.

* * *

"Oh no! Look how high they are!" Lita said in amazement.

"This does not look good!" Rei stated.

"Sure it does, if you're rooting for Trunks to win!" Vegeta countered with an arrogant voice, smirk, and eyes to match. This elicited a glare of daggers from Rei, which only caused Vegeta's smirk to widen.

"What's she gonna do?" Ami asked. "She can't deploy her barrier from there or Trunks will get sent away, and then she'll fall!"

"Woah!" Goku shouted in disbelief. "Are you saying that Sailor Saturn can't fly?"

"Well…uhh…we…uhh." Serena's eyes constricted as she nervously touched her two index fingers together.

"You guys really don't know how to fly?" Goku asked as if it wasn't real.

"Well…no." Serena answered as she put her head down in slight shame.

"Hm." Goku responded as he merely turned back to watch the fight. "Sailor Saturn can destroy a whole planet but she doesn't even know how to fly, kinda strange."

"I'll say, that's like learning to run before you know how to crawl." Gohan remarked, as if destroying planets didn't shock him at all.

_Who are these guys?!_ Rei thought in disbelief.

"GOHAN! YOU HAVE TO TEACH US HOW TO FLY!" All five of the Sailor Scouts ordered with their fists pumped and determined eyes, causing Gohan to backtrack in nervousness, and Videl to cross her arms and glare.

"Awww, c'mon how come I have to be teaching everyone how to fly?" Gohan said to himself in disbelief.

_Where did these annoying little brats come from?!_ Vegeta thought to himself, irritated.

* * *

"GIVE UP!" Trunks commanded again, tightening his hold even more.

Sailor Saturn gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes to cope with the pain. There had to be a way out of this! She grimaced, there was only one way. Trunks' eyes widened in shock as he saw that she began to put up a force field. In a flash, Trunks was sent barreling away and Saturn was freefalling.

* * *

Amara, Michelle, and Trista's faces displayed their worried shock at the event.

"Oh no! Hotaru!" Michelle yelled in concern.

"What is she thinking?!" Trista asked in frustration.

Amara merely gritted her teeth and buckled her eyes at the sight.

* * *

Sailor Saturn saw the ground getting ever closer, and heard the distant gasp of the crowd in her ears. She put her hands forward and formed a barrier around herself. She felt the force field touch the ground, allowing her to flop inside the protective walls of the barrier, which in a second, exploded. Saturn flopped around the ring after it did, colliding painfully with the pavement several times, but her wounds were minor.

The crowd gasped as they saw the black-haired girl with the white and maroon outfit slowly stand up, scratched in a few places but otherwise all right.

"Sailor Saturn has gotten back on her feet and is ready for more! Oh, what a brave young fighter! What a match!" The announcer yelled, expressing his own surprise.

The crowd got over their gasps and began to cheer wildly.

"MORE!" One man shouted. "WE WANT MORE!"

High in the air, Trunks caught himself quickly and stared angrily down at his opponent. Sailor Saturn made tense eye contact with him, even from such a distance. The expression on her face was manifest- 'bring it on.' She was saying.

* * *

"Would you believe that Hotaru was really sick before?" Rini asked to Goten.

"She doesn't look very sick to me!" Goten responded.

"Yeah, before she became Sailor Saturn, Hotaru wasn't well at all. She had this thing called Mistress 9 living inside her, which caused her to be very weak, and now look at her go!"

"Mistress 9?" Goten asked.

"Uhh…" Rini trailed, realizing she had said too much. "Look! Trunks is coming down!" She breathed a sigh of relief as Goten's attention quickly shifted to his friend.

* * *

Trunks frowned. "That was quite a feat."

Sailor Saturn smiled. "Thanks. I'm glad you liked it."

"But it ends now." Trunks stated.

"Just try!" She challenged.

_I need to find a way to land a decent hit on this girl. That's all it will take! But how? She keeps blocking all of my attacks! There has to be a way to get through her defenses. I know, it's time to show her what I'm really capable of._

Trunks rushed forward, Saturn got ready to defend. He avoided her and began to zoom around the ring, making her head turn to follow him. He then began to zip toward her, then away, leaving a trail of mirages of himself in the wake. Sailor Saturn's deep purple eyes widened as she saw a trail of Trunkses all over the ring, preparing to attack.

Sailor Saturn gasped, which one was the real Trunks?

"Now." Trunks whispered to himself, grinning. He gathered his power.

Saturn noticed a golden light out of the corner of her left eye. She turned around and was greatly surprised that the light got bigger and bigger as it approached too fast for her to counter.

A painful thud erupted in Saturn's stomach, and she saw the foot of what appeared to be Trunks firmly implanted in her stomach. It knocked the wind out of her and she felt herself begin to zoom out of the ring. At the very last second she saw Trunks' face- but it couldn't be Trunks, his hair was now golden and his eyes were a deep blue-green! A split second later, she felt her back smash into the brick wall separating the audience from the ring, then felt her butt on the grass.

* * *

"Oh no! Hotaru!" Rini shouted in concern as she began to run toward her friend.

Goten and Trunks merely exchanged a glance, his golden aura still surrounding his body.

Complete silence fell over the crowd.

* * *

"WHAT?!" Goku shouted in disbelief. "You're kidding me! Trunks is already a Super Saiyan?!"

"Yep, Goten too." Gohan answered.

"Whoa, and at their age!" Goku said in amazement. "Those little guys are gonna be stronger than us soon if we don't watch it!"

"I know!" Gohan agreed.

The Sailor Scouts and Videl had the same bug-eyed, gape-mouthed look as the rest of the crowd as Trunks finally reverted back to his normal state.

"W…w…what was that guys?!" Serena asked with her mouth still as wide as an elephant.

"I…don't…know…Serena!" Rei shouted with the same expression.

Vegeta's bellowing and triumphant laugh broke the silence and expression of the Scouts. His son had won, and had broken an agreement they all made in order to do it. In Trunks' eyes, it was better to break a promise than to lose.

_Like a true Saiyan!_ He thought in pride.

* * *

"No! It can't be!" Amara said in shock.

"That guy did the same thing as those guys I remember seeing Piccolo with at the Cell Games!" Michelle said in equal shock. "But…"

"It must be true." Trista declared, the calmest among them. "It's as we pondered. Piccolo must be associated with Super Saiyans. We've seen other legends that have proven true in the past." Amara and Michelle nodded at her. "I just hope that Hotaru is alright."

* * *

"TRUNKS IS THE WINNER!" The announcer yelled, breaking the shocked silence. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new junior champion of the world, and his name is Trunks! Let's give him a round of applause!"

"Are you ok?" Goten asked, leaning over Hotaru's form.

"Yes, I'm fine." She smiled.

"It was a good fight."

Hotaru looked up in bewilderment to see Trunks offering her a hand. She smiled and accepted his assistance.

"Let's hear it for Sailor Saturn too!" The announcer suggested. "What a talented fighter!"

She smiled and waved at the crowd's applause. She then cooled her eyes.

"What was that?" She asked in curiosity, and a little suspicion.

Trunks smirked. "I told you you'd see soon enough. That was my Super form." He answered cryptically as he made his way back to the ring. He had another match to win.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to bring you an exhibition match between the new junior champion, Trunks, and Mr. Satan, the greatest martial arts expert alive!" The announcer said.

Goten, Rini, and Hotaru watched with smiles on their faces.

"Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Mr. Satan!"

The world champion slowly made his way toward the ring, wearing his usual expression.

* * *

Rei laughed. "This'll be fun to watch; too bad it's going to be so short."

"Yeah!" Krillin agreed. Blink and you'll miss it!"

"I just hope Trunks doesn't hurt the poor guy too much." Serena said in sympathy.

With each person's words, Videl's eyes grew more and more bewildered.

"What are you talking about Sailor Moon?!" Vegeta challenged. "Trunks is going to pulverize this noisy fool! World champion, hah! I've known stronger houseplants!"

"What?" Videl asked in disbelief.

"Oh yeah, right you guys!" Gohan staggered in damage control. "Videl, you just don't know my friends the Sailor Scouts, or Vegeta! They're always joking like that!"

Lita's eyes widened in curiosity. "But we're not joking Gohan." The other Scouts nodded, while Vegeta wore his characteristic grimace.

"Oh…hah…don't try too hard now! You guys are all hilarious, especially Vegeta!" He said to Videl. "He should be a comedian, he's got a million of e'm!"

"Hey, the match is about to start!" Ami pointed.

"…Man, he's just too pitiful to watch." Krillin decided. "Does anyone else want to get something to eat?"

"Sure, that sounds good to me, let's do it." Goku agreed.

He, Krillin, Piccolo, Vegeta, Android 18, and Gohan began to walk away.

"Hey wait you guys! Don't you want to see the fight between Trunks and my dad? He _is_ the reigning world champion you know; don't you want to study his technique?"

"Of course we do! What do you say guys, sounds like a great opportunity!"

Gohan noticed the eyes of all the Sailor Scouts staring at him in wide-eyed curiosity.

"Thanks, but I think we'll pass, see ya!" Goku answered with a wave.

"Good luck with all your girlfriends Gohan!" Krillin teased. "You're real ladies man now!

"Wait! Don't you want to see your son fight?!" Rei shouted to Vegeta, who ignored her.

"Hey…it's not like I blame him…we all know what's gonna happen." She said with folded arms and closed eyes.

"So, Mr. Satan is your father huh? That must be embarrassing." Mina talked to Videl.

"What?!" She looked like she would explode.

"You guys must really want me dead!" Gohan said in nervousness to the Sailor Scouts.

* * *

"Oh boy! Food!" Serena gasped in delight as she, the other Scouts, Gohan, and Videl entered the athlete's buffet area.

"Oh no…" The other Scouts sighed. They knew what would be happening next.

"Hey guys!" Goku greeted with his mouth full. "Come on over and dig in! It's really good!"

"Oh, yummy YUMMY!" Serena yelled and hopped into a chair, stuffing her face immediately.

Krillin, Android 18, and even Piccolo widened their eyes as they saw the sheer volume of food Serena was shoveling into her mouth. They couldn't believe someone was eating as much as Gohan, Vegeta, and especially Goku, and the other Sailor Scouts widened their eyes that people were eating as much as Serena.

"So, how was it Gohan?" Krillin asked.

"It was pretty interesting, Trunks beat Mr. Satan with one punch, but everyone thinks he lost on purpose so he could be a gentleman."

"He should get an academy award for that one!" Krillin said, but Gohan desperately silenced him.

The Sailor Scouts laughed at the inside joke, but quickly put on innocent faces when Videl looked their way.

"Man…you Saiyans are like bottomless pits! Serena…you sure do seem to be keeping up with them!"

"MMM?" Serena looked at Krillin, her mouth full of food and bulging blue eyes that were clearly enjoying themselves. She could have sworn she heard the word 'Saiyan' before, but that was far from her thoughts now.

The other four Sailor Scouts all gave each other an odd look- _did he just say Saiyan_? They all thought, but quickly dismissed it.

"Jeez Serena…these guys eat just like you!" Rei sneered, while Serena's full mouth merely pouted.

"You know I…don't think I'll ever get used to this." Piccolo muttered.

"Hey dad, we're out of pasta!" Gohan said.

"Excuse me, more spaghetti please!" Goku ordered.

"And bring some more eggrolls while you're at it!" Vegeta added.

"More ice cream too please!" Serena further added.

The other Sailor Scouts and Videl were bug-eyed as the plates continued to pile up, while Piccolo and Android 18 just sat there with bored looks on their faces.

"MMMAAAAHHHH! That was incredible! What a feast!" Goku smiled in joy.

Vegeta and Serena wound up sucking on the same batch of noodles, which resulted in a tug of war. Vegeta glared at Serena, which caused her to buckle with a goofy smile on her face.

"Woweee, I'm so full! If I have to fight one of you guys please don't punch me in the gut!" Goku exclaimed.

"You guys didn't eat anything! You all must be on a diet!" Gohan said to Videl and the other four Sailor Scouts.

"Believe it or not Gohan, most athletes don't like to stuff themselves before a big match!" Krillin countered.

"Yep, and our Serena is no athlete, that's for sure!" Rei gave a nasty grin.

"Hey, I too am an athlete!" Serena pouted.

"Yeah, like when you always trip and fall at least once a day, but especially when we're fighting someone!" Rei teased harder. "I bet you trip and fall right out of the ring- just as your first match begins!"

Serena growled and got in Rei's face, they butted heads and stuck their tongues out at each other.

"Hey, are they always like this?" Gohan asked.

"No, sometimes they fight." Mina answered.

"Man, and I thought Goku and Vegeta were bad." Krillin said sarcastically.

"Hey, we should all go check the draw, see who's fighting who." Android 18 changed the subject.

"Well, if I have to fight Kakarot in the first round, the first thing I'm going to do is punch him in the gut!" Vegeta declared.

"Aw man, no mercy!" Responded Goku.

_These guys all seem really cool and nice!_ Serena thought to herself. _I wonder where they all come from? They seem somehow familiar…_

Piccolo and Rei's eyes widened in suspicion upon seeing two figures waiting at the other end of the road.

The Z Fighters and Sailor Scouts approached them with curious gazes in their eyes.

Piccolo and Rei exchanged their suspicious eye contact.

"Guys, I'm sensing really weird vibes from these two!" Rei whispered to the other Scouts. "Be on your guard!"

They saw the purple figure with white hair and dressed in blue float toward Goku. Vegeta frowned at him.

"Good afternoon, you wouldn't be Goku by any chance would you?" He asked.

"Yeah, how did you know my name was Goku?"

"Well, your reputation as a great fighter precedes you." He smirked. "I was actually hoping for a chance to fight you during the tournament. It's not that I'm confident about beating you, not at all, it's just that I wanted to have the greatest challenge that I can think of, and I know you're man who understands that."

The Z Fighters and Sailor Scouts all looked on in guarded curiosity, Rei and Piccolo giving the most suspicious looks of all.

"Oh, and Sailor Moon is here too!" The purple man said in excitement as he looked at her. Serena's eyes bulged in curiosity. "Fantastic! You yourself are building quite the reputation too! You're not on Goku's level yet, not anywhere near that," He continued, which caused Serena to pout and Goku to glance at her with an embarrassed grin. "But your efforts in recent years have been noted and I must say that you've done an outstanding job despite your demeanor, I sincerely hope that all of you keep it up."

Rei's suspicious glare grew even harder.

"Anyway Goku, I'm very much looking forward to today's competition. I have traveled very far to meet you in battle. You might even say that I'm one of your biggest fans! In any case after meeting you, I'm certain that I won't be disappointed."

"Thanks…!" Goku smiled.

"Goku, may I shake your hand?"

"Of course!" Goku said as he accepted the invitation. The handshake lasted a little longer than was appropriate.

Rei began to sweat in nervousness as she saw the smile on the purple man's face as he shook Goku's hand.

"All right. Thank you, you're as brave as everyone says you are!" He dropped to the ground, ending his hover. "Good day." He bowed and began to walk away with his friend.

"Hey, wait a second; I didn't catch your name!" Goku shouted, and was ignored.

"Well how rude!" Serena pouted. "First he compliments us then doesn't even introduce himself!"

"Hey, aren't you guys the rude ones?!" Lita shouted at the retreating forms, who as expected, did not respond.

"I don't like the feel of it, they're strong." Piccolo said to Goku.

"Real strong." Goku seconded.

"And real suspicious too." Rei agreed, walking up to the two of them. "I'm sensing really eerie vibes from them; everyone needs to keep an eye on those two!"

"But hey, isn't that what this tournament is about?" Goku asked. "Finding the unexpected challenge and seeing who emerges as the victor?"

The Sailor Scouts hadn't dropped their suspicious expressions, even Vegeta got in on the act.

"Gee, I don't know guys, they don't seem that strong to me. To tell you the truth, I don't think they know what they're getting themselves into!" Krillin declared.

"Well, we'll find out soon enough won't we?" Vegeta asked. "I for one would be more than happy to take on either of those two clowns!" His suspicious frown was the most of anyone there.

Serena touched her chin in curiosity over what was to come…was Mordred making his move?


	6. Forfeit of Piccolo

The Z Fighters and Sailor Scouts entered the area where the draw was being conducted.

"I didn't think that there was going to be much of a challenge here." Goku stated. "But Shin and his friend definitely seem strong and that guy…whoa! He sends chills down my spine!"

The others looked at the figure Goku was talking about. It was a large man, around six-foot-five. He had long black hair, pale grey skin, orange eyes, and pointed ears like Piccolo, though a bit shorter.

"That guy is strange too…" Rei whispered. "I don't like the feel of all three of them!"

The figure gritted his pointed teeth at Rei, causing her to backtrack. Piccolo put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. She smiled at him for his gesture.

"Wow, what a creep." Serena muttered.

"I'll say." Mina seconded.

"I wonder why he's so angry? Maybe he didn't have a good breakfast." Goku guessed.

"Hmph." Vegeta sneered. "I bet he's a weakling!" He said, caring not if the figure heard him.

Ami buckled at the intensity of the orange eyes. She was greatly relieved when the man shifted his attention elsewhere.

"So miss clumsy, how long do you think you'll last before you fall out of the ring?!" Rei teased.

"I'll show you clumsy!" Serena hissed as she began to pull at Rei's hair. The two then began to chase each other around the area, eliciting sighs and sweat drops from the other Scouts, and curious glances from the Z Fighters.

"When I call your name, please come up." The announcer decreed. "Uhh…Sailor Jupiter?"

"Oh, I'm up!" She responded excitedly.

Lita went up to the draw and placed her hand in the box. _Let's get a cool number!_ She hoped.

"Number fourteen!" She smiled, ready to get out and fight.

"Next is…Kibito!" The announcer called.

Sailor Jupiter exchanged a tension-filled glance with the pink-skinned, white-haired man as she went back to rejoin her group. There certainly was something strange about him…Rei was definitely right about that.

"And…you're number seven!" The announcer declared. "Next up for the drawing is Krillin!"

"I hope my number's not too late in the match!" He said as he put his hand in the box.

"What in the world did I do to deserve this?!" Krillin asked as the number '1' stared at him.

"It's time for the Great Saiyaman!"

"Yes!" Gohan responded.

"Good luck Gohan!" Mina waved and blew a kiss, causing him to blush and Videl to glare. She and Videl exchanged a jealous glare as Gohan placed his hand in the blue box.

"I'm number eight." Gohan declared. "And that puts me up against…Kibito, yikes!"

"He's a big guy, but remember the true warrior fights with his mind." Goku told his son, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"And now we have miss…Number 18?" The announcer called, but his tone was questionable rather than serious. "Is…Number 18 your real name?"

"My father was pretty dull." She scoffed and drew her number, tossing it back at the bewildered announcer. "Now I'm number nine." She declared coldly.

"Shin's up next!"

"Ready." The purple man said with a smile.

Rei and Piccolo came together to carefully watch him. They both exchanged looks with Goku, who gave a serious nod. Serena merely widened her eyes in curiosity as he drew his number.

"I'm number three." He calmly declared.

Goku, Piccolo, and Rei stared at him as he made his way back to Kibito.

"Next in line we have Antares! You're up!"

The Z Fighters and Sailor Scouts stood in suspicion as they watched the grey-skinned man move up. He glared at them for a second, but quickly shifted his attention. He gritted his teeth and frowned as he reached inside the blue box to draw a number, then glared at the announcer as he showed him it.

"You're…number six!" The announcer responded nervously. "Next up for the drawing is Sailor Mars!"

Rei's heartbeat rapidly picked up as she moved toward the drawing box. Even Serena was totally and seriously focused on the event. Her heart nearly leapt in her float as she brushed passed the fighter now known as Antares, both of them exchanging frowning glances as they passed one another. She put her hand in the box and drew number sixteen.

"Goku, your turn now!"

Goku went up to pick his number, smiling warmly at Rei along the way, which somewhat broke the tension in her chest, she was thankful for it.

"Which one will it be?" Goku asked as he picked his number.

"It's number eleven!" The announcer answered. "Next up is Videl!"

"Yes!" She whispered and went to the draw. "Cool, five!"

"All right! Sailor Moon, you're up!" The announcer beckoned.

"Break a leg, Serena!" Rei teased as she pushed her forward.

"Whoa…ahhh…ahhh!" Serena stumbled for a few steps, not sure if her friend meant that literally. She fell down at the drawing place.

"Uhm, ready to draw now, Sailor Moon?" The announcer asked curiously.

"Yes…YES!" She shouted, doing her best to regain her composure.

"And Sailor Moon is number two!"

Serena sighed and went to rejoin her friends. "That wasn't cool, Rei!" She scoffed.

Rei laughed. "Don't worry about me; you better worry about Krillin here!"

She gazed curiously at Krillin, who laughed.

"Hey Krillin, if you tie her into a pretzel, I'll pray for your good fortune at my shrine every day for a year." Rei whispered in his ear.

Krillin continued to laugh, but 18 glared at him for the close proximity the two were sharing and he backed away.

"Vegeta, you're next!" The announcer called.

Vegeta got out of his relaxed state and walked up to the draw. He picked his number and smirked with a chuckle, triumphantly displaying it to the gatherers.

"So you're number twelve?" The announcer asked.

"Not the two of them!" Piccolo sounded worried. "Goku and Vegeta!"

"Golleee Vegeta and Goku right off the bat!" Krillin shouted in disbelief while Gohan's mouth was open.

"Hey guys, what's the matter?" Lita asked in curiosity at the new tension.

The Sailor Scouts' curious heads zipped back and forth between the smirking Goku and Vegeta.

"All right, Sailor Venus, it's your turn now!"

Mina stopped her zipping head and focused on the draw. She smiled with sparkly eyes. _Just remember Mina, when you win this thing you'll be rich and famous!_ She told herself to keep herself psyched up.

"Oh no!" Mina shouted as she dropped her number. "Unlucky thirteen! Now I'll never be a star!" She moped and made her way back to her friends.

"Mina, you know that numbers do not play a role in the science of winning competitions!" Ami told, but Mina only sunk her head lower at the academic tone in her friend's voice.

"Ma Junior is up next!"

Piccolo put on a serious frown and went to pick his number, winding up with four. He looked suspiciously toward Shin. _I am the first to fight Shin, the first to know the true extent of his power._ He thought. He and Rei exchanged the same look as he rejoined the group.

"And our champion is number ten!" The announcer declared.

"Yes! Look 18, you get to fight Mr. Satan!" Krillin shouted.

"Great, I'm jumping for joy." She muttered.

"I wouldn't take it so lightly; my dad's a dangerous man!" Videl advised, but 18 merely gave her a bored glance.

"Last but not least is Sailor Mercury!"

Ami shyly went up to the draw to pick her number, knowing that it couldn't be anything else but fifteen.

"There, we have a full board of fighters!" The announcer exclaimed. "In the first match we have Krillin fighting Sailor Moon! Second match is Shin versus Ma Junior! The third match is Videl and Antares! Fourth match is Kibito and the Great Saiyaman! Match five is Number 18 and Mr. Satan! The sixth match is Goku versus Vegeta! The seventh match is Sailor Venus against Sailor Jupiter! And the eighth match is Sailor Mercury versus Sailor Mars! The fighting will commence immediately, I will quickly show you to the waiting room, and I'm sure you all know the rules! You are the loser if you give up, if I count to ten, if you fall out of the ring or if you unfortunately, kill your competitor. Each match has a time limit of thirty minutes and not a second more. If there is not a victor decided within the allotted time, then that decision will be left up to the judges."

"How come the Scouts all have to fight each other?!" Sailor Venus moped. "The chances of us winning are a lot less now!"

Vegeta laughed loudly. "My statement from when we first met remains the same. Our acquaintance has not changed it! You had no chance of winning to begin with, because I'm here!"

"You'll have to get through me first, Vegeta!" Goku smirked, causing both of them to competitively smile at each other.

* * *

"HEY! Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready?!" The announcer asked the crowd as he came out. "NOW LET THE WORLD MARTIAL ARTS CHAMPIONSHIP BEGIN!"

"Well, looks like they're all gonna be fighting each other." Amara smirked. "Sailor Venus versus Jupiter, Mercury versus Mars. This'll dampen the chances of one of them winning! And it looks like Sailor Moon is fighting…Krillin." She said as she squinted to see the board. "Krillin…I've heard that name before."

"Me too." Michelle seconded.

Trista's eyes widened when she saw some other names on the list, quickly followed by her two friends.

"Goku…Vegeta…I've heard those names too! They're the ones that…" Trista's eyes widened further. "They're the ones that fought Frieza!"

Amara and Michelle gasped.

"And Goku was the first Super Saiyan in one thousand years…the Super Saiyan that defeated Frieza on Namek." She continued. "Of course! They're Piccolo's associates! They were the ones he was with during the fight with Cell! Goku, Vegeta, Krillin…all of them must be part of the legendary Z Fighters, the ones who, like the Sailor Scouts, protect the Earth. They are also dedicated to keeping the seven Dragon Balls out of the hands of evil."

"The Dragon Balls…of course." Michelle continued the conversation. "I've heard the legend…if Amara and I even so much as mentioned it to Piccolo he'd be silent…wouldn't tell us anything!"

"Well, the legend is true, I can tell you that." Trista answered. "Goku and Vegeta are the last living Saiyans."

"And those two boys we saw earlier…" Michelle trailed.

"Must be their sons." Amara finished.

"I wonder what they're doing here…" Michelle again trailed.

"We'll find out soon enough." Trista said as she narrowed her eyes.

* * *

"So, the tournament is about to begin?" Mordred asked from his chair, all of the Sprite Sisters stood curiously in front of him.

"Yes, and guess what? The Sailor Scouts are all here, minus three of the Outers. Sailor Saturn was actually a finalist in the junior competition."

"Finalist…so someone beat her?" Mordred asked in rare surprise.

"Yes, a young boy named Trunks."

"How can that be possible?"

"I don't know, it's not like I was paying attention. Anyway, it appears that the pool of contenders in this tournament will be rather strong, far stronger than we expected."

Mordred scoffed. "Real fighters on this planet?"

"At either rate, this is good for us. It will make gathering energy far easier."

"Right, I will be waiting for you back here, and don't let the Numba run too wild." He smirked.

"Sure thing, I'll see you when this is all done, then our glorious day will arrive."

"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Even such an amount of energy will not be enough. All we can do is add it to the bank, and utilize it as best we can."

"And the Sailor Scouts?"

"Frighten them, beat them, if you must, kill them, I hope not though, they've been strangely entertaining to me. Just…do try not to hurt Saturn."

"I don't get it, Master, what is it about that one that makes you so protective?"

"Old reasons." He cryptically answered.

"…Right. Anyway, I better go, the Tournament is starting."

Mordred took that as an invitation to break the telepathic link. The Sprite Sisters gazed upon him in curiosity and admiration.

"Get going, you'll know what to do when the time comes."

"Yes, Master." All four said at once and vanished.

Mordred went to pour himself his daily glass of wine. He went back to his chair and pondered familiar thoughts when all else was quiet: the past, and the future. Yes, the future was calling, and his position would be a bright one. He would be granted that good fortune for his efforts.

* * *

"YES! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN I AM PROUD TO PRESENT TO YOU THE FIRST MATCH IN THE WORLD MARTIAL ARTS TOURNAMENT!" The announcer shouted to get the crowd fired up, and he succeeded.

Serena started to get nervous, her eyes bulged as she peeked out and saw just how huge the crowd was.

"Don't worry Serena, you'll be fine."

She widened her eyes and turned around, seeing Goku's warm face. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Just get out there and do your best, and if what I've heard about you is true, you should definitely give these people a good fight!"

"Thank you, Goku." Serena said with a nod.

"Let's get Krillin and Sailor Moon out here to the ring!" The voice of the announcer carried through the room.

"Let's just go out there and try our best!" Krillin encouraged, and Serena smiled and nodded.

The crowd cheered as Krillin and Sailor Moon walked out to the ring, both fighters waving at it.

* * *

"Hey look, there's Moon Face." Amara chuckled, using her old nickname for Sailor Moon.

"A Sailor Scout versus a Z Fighter- it should be an interesting match, if Serena doesn't trip and fall out of the ring that is." Michelle chuckled.

Amara shared the laugh while Trista kept her expression, curiously watching the ring.

* * *

"AND LET THE MATCH BEGIN!"

Serena cringed as she saw Krillin zoom toward her. While dodging his punch, she tripped and fell to the floor, her chin painfully colliding with the ring. Her eyes widened as she saw Krillin quickly turn and charge toward her again. She got up and jumped to the other end of the ring.

"Gee, I thought you could fight better." Krillin muttered.

Serena pouted and stamped her feet on the ground in anger.

"I too can fight!" She screeched.

* * *

Vegeta laughed haughtily in the fighter's area. "You mean to tell me that this klutz is the great Sailor Moon?!" He bellowed over and laughed louder.

"Aw c'mon Vegeta!" Goku countered. "I'm sure she'll do just fine."

"YEAH, JUST WATCH YOU JERK!"

Vegeta was taken aback as three of the other Sailor Scouts stuck their faces in his and yelled at him, jumping to their friend's defense. He quickly smirked.

"Yeah, maybe if she strangles him with those meatball pigtails of hers!"

"Hey uhh…where's Rei?" Mina asked.

"Yeah, shouldn't she be watching the fight?"

Rei stood next to Piccolo, both of them sweating as they focused on Shin, who was aware of the attention and smirked back at them.

"I can't get anything about him…" Rei whispered.

Piccolo shifted his eyes to the girl but then quickly shifted back to Shin.

* * *

Sailor Moon stunned Krillin and the crowd by leaping into the air and landing her boot on his face. Krillin was taken aback as he saw Serena's boot pushing him to the floor. She quickly hopped away.

"Oh! And Sailor Moon lands a nice kick to Krillin!" The announcer declared as the audience relished the fight.

"Aw man, now I'm gonna have a bump there!" Krillin muttered as he got up.

He was startled when he saw Serena pouncing on him again with another boot to the face, followed up by a kick to Krillin's back.

"And Krillin is down again!" The announcer yelled. "Time to begin the count!"

Sailor Moon stood with a huge smile on her face as she saw that she was actually doing it.

"ONE!"

Sailor Moon's smile was quickly erased as Krillin shot back up, the audience cheering for more action. She yelped and staggered back as Krillin dematerialized and reappeared right in front of her, and it was only at the last second that she ducked to avoid his punch. Her eyes were as wide as the sky as she felt the sheer power behind Krillin's fist- the air itself cracked from the energy behind it. She ran away from him and jumped back a couple of steps. Krillin charged after her, and Sailor Moon fell to her back, managed to grab Krillin by his shirt, and flip him over the edge of the ring, utilizing a sacrifice throw.

Krillin's eyes bulged as he realized that he was sailing outside the ring. Sailor Moon's eyes expressed joy but were quickly neutralized when she saw Krillin stop himself just before hitting the ground.

"No fair!" She pouted as Krillin floated back into the ring.

The crowd roared for more.

* * *

"It looks like this Krillin has the same sort of powers that those boys who fought Hotaru had." Luna muttered under Darien's jacket.

"I wonder how Meatball Head is going to beat someone like that." Artemis chuckled.

Darien merely watched in curious concern for his girlfriend.

* * *

Krillin attempted another punch, which Sailor Moon dodged with a nervous face. However, he quickly turned and kicked her in the back, sending Sailor Moon flying across the ring, and landing just by the ledge. She yelped as she struggled to climb back in the ring.

"What a fighter ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer complimented. "How tenacious is Sailor Moon?!"

* * *

Darien smiled as he saw her climb back to her feet.

"Just keep at it Serena, you'll be fine."

"That kick sure was powerful though." Diana countered. "That guy is real strong!"

Darien would have cracked a joke, but he knew that this Krillin was nothing to laugh about.

_

* * *

What can I do to beat this guy? _Sailor Moon thought to herself. _He's too strong to beat in a fistfight!_ She yelped again as she saw Krillin's foot fly toward her again. She ducked and swept him off his feet, then managed to land a kick of her own in his falling gut. Krillin quickly regained control of himself and spiraled back to elbow Sailor Moon in the gut.

"OWWWWW!" She yelped and collapsed to the ground.

"Oh! And Sailor Moon is down!" The announcer yelled. "One! …Two! …Three!"

* * *

"Oh no, Serena!" Rini shouted in concern from her position.

"Krillin hit her pretty hard." Goten stated in his usual tone as the announcer shouted four and then five.

"Hmph." Trunks watched in boredom. "Goten, we should have found some way to enter the adult competition. Why didn't you help me out?"

"Well…I'd rather stay here with Rini, she's pretty!" Goten said in embarrassment as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Ugh, you are so pathetic." Trunks muttered as Goten continued to grin and shifted his attention back to Rini, who stood in front of him. "You've been pretty quiet." He turned toward Hotaru.

"Sorry Trunks, I am intensely focused on the match." She responded. _And the mission._ She kept to herself.

* * *

"Six!"

"I wonder if Meatball Head is just gonna stay down." Amara smirked. "That sure did look like it hurt."

"No, I think she'll get up, she always has when she's been beaten pretty badly. That's one of Serena's strong suits." Michelle answered.

"Seven!"

"You can do it Sailor Moon, get up." Trista whispered.

* * *

"Eight!"

The voice echoed in Sailor Moon's ear as she struggled to push herself up.

"Nine!"

She got to her knees and finally stumbled on her feet as the announcer sounded out the T-E in ten.

"And Sailor Moon is up!"

The crowd roared.

"Excellent job!" Krillin complimented. "Let's continue!" He said as he got into a fighting stance.

"Oohh…" Sailor Moon sighed. "Why didn't anyone tell me I hate fighting?" She widened her eyes as she saw Krillin charging at her again, and she began running around the ring with Krillin chasing after her.

"What a crazy style of fighting!" The announcer called. "What will Sailor Moon do next?!"

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT!" She shouted as she flailed her arms about.

Sailor Moon reached the corner of the ring and was about to turn when Krillin rematerialized right in front of her face. He lifted his foot to kick Serena and as she frantically turned away, her right foot tripped Krillin.

"Yaa..aaaaH!" He babbled as he fell, his back colliding with the grass.

The crowd was stunned to silence.

"Krillin is out of the ring! Sailor Moon is the winner!"

Serena was silent for a second or two after the announcement.

"I won…?" She trailed. "I WON! YIPEE!" She jumped for joy.

"Folks, in all my years of calling this competition, I don't think I've ever seen someone win like that!" The announcer declared.

* * *

Amara laughed. "Leave it to Serena to pull something like that."

"I wonder who she'll face in the next round." Somehow I don't think her opponent will let that happen to him. Michelle mused.

Trista giggled.

* * *

Krillin was nervous as Android 18 stared him down. The Sailor Scouts, minus Rei, were jumping for joy that their friend advanced.

"Well…that was…unique." Gohan said.

"I'll say." Videl agreed.

Goku grinned. "Way to go Serena! You beat Krillin, a very experienced fighter at that!"

"Yeah, it was a good match." Krillin agreed.

"Aww, thanks, guys." She said.

"Anytime!" Goku said as he patted her on the back. Unfortunately he did not recognize his strength and sent Serena crashing into the wall, head-first. "Oh no…" Goku had a feeling of déjà vu.

"Oww…" Serena moped.

"Alright martial arts fans! It's time for the second match!" The announcer's voice sounded through the waiting area. "Would Ma Junior and Shin please step out to the ring?!"

The air around the room suddenly got much more serious.

"What's the matter with you guys?" Krillin asked curiously as he saw that everyone gathered wore serious frowns, even the normally goofy Serena.

Piccolo said nothing, only sharing a nod with Rei, then walking out in front of the sign.

"Well then, this should be interesting, don't you think Piccolo?" Shin asked with a confident grin.

Piccolo only gazed at him suspiciously as the announcer began to talk.

"This is the first year Shin has participated in the tournament. He's a man of few words so we know very little about him, and that could spell trouble for our other competitor, Ma Junior, someone who, if I remember correctly came close to turning this arena into rubble the last time he was here." The announcer said.

* * *

"Piccolo!" Amara gasped, followed by her companions as the Namekian stepped into the ring.

"So I guess he did see the movie after all!" Michelle giggled, but then quickly turned serious again. "I wonder what brings him here?"

"Well, it turns out his crew is here, so I suppose it's only logical that he be here too." Trista mused.

"Do they know about Mordred? Are they here for the same reasons we are?" Amara asked.

"It would sure make me feel better if Piccolo knew." Michelle said. "He's helped us so many times before when we've needed him…"

"I wonder who his opponent is?" Amara turned her attention to Shin. "I've never seen him look so nervous before!"

"There is something very strange about that man…" Trista trailed, and after a few seconds of noticing, Amara and Michelle agreed.

* * *

_What is this strange energy I sense?_ Piccolo thought to himself as he faced Shin. The two faced each other for what seemed like an agonizingly long time.

* * *

Darien and the cats intensely focused on Shin, all of them frowning.

* * *

_C'mon Shin, why don't you show us why you have the little Namek all worried!_ Vegeta scoffed in his mind.

* * *

"Fighters, let the second match begin!" The announcer declared.

The staring continued, Shin confidently grinning.

_Why can't I focus my power?!_ Piccolo thought. _Why am I holding back like this?! I've never met him before today, and yet, there's something about him…_

The Z Fighters and Sailor Scouts stood with guarded looks on their faces as they watched the staring contest from the back.

_I've sensed this kind of energy before, but where? No! It couldn't be!_ He sweated as Shin's grin grew.

* * *

"Piccolo is afraid!" Amara said in shock.

"I've never seen him afraid of anything before! He's always been so strong!" Michelle was equally shocked. "What is it about this guy that's scaring him so much…very strange!"

Trista's red eyes widened until they showed the same expression as Piccolo's.

"No! …What is he doing here?!" She asked in a state bordering on fear.

Amara and Michelle quickly shifted their eyes to their companion.

"Who is it?!" They both asked at once.

* * *

_It can't be him! Why would he be here?!_ Piccolo thought while still sweating.

"I promise you'll know soon." Shin said with a cocky smile. "You'll know soon, but for now let's enjoy our little match."

"I'm sorry." Piccolo answered the announcer as he regained his senses. "I can't."

"Does this mean you're withdrawing from the match?" The announcer asked in shock, even eliciting a curious glance from Shin.

"Yes, it does." Piccolo answered as he stepped out of the ring.

* * *

"He's…forfeiting…" Amara trailed in shock. "That's nothing like the Piccolo I know!"

"But who can blame him…?" Michelle retorted.

Trista merely continued to fix her guarded gaze on Shin.

* * *

_Interesting. Yes, that Namek was the guardian of this planet at one time. Perhaps he knows more about me than I thought._ Shin thought as his smile returned.

* * *

**Things will definitely be picking up in the next chapter; we'll be setting off on the main plot.**


	7. Attacks and Revelations

**I'd really like to take this time to thank all of my reviewers. All of your reviews have certainly kept me busy. Keep on reviewing and I'll keep putting the material out there. So far this fic has primarily been about the introduction and interaction between the Sailor Scouts and Z Fighters, with the humorous situations that I believe would happen should they meet. The serious plot will kick off from here; so this is going to be quite a busy chapter.**

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* * *

**

Shin and Antares locked eyes as they passed each other- Shin on his way to the back, Antares out to the ring. Two seconds of tension passed as Shin's obsidian eyes crashed into Antares' orange ones, both men wore suspicious frowns.

"…Do we know each other?" Antares' eerie voice finally broke the silence.

"No." Shin calmly answered. He then walked to the back, pausing once more to take a look at Antares' back, black hair flowing down it.

The crowd began to chant for Videl as Antares calmly stepped into the ring. She stepped into her position and stared up into Antares' eyes, putting on her best frown. Antares stepped into his own position.

* * *

"I don't like the feel of this…" Amara trailed. "There is something very strange about that guy..."

"Agreed." Trista stated.

"That Videl girl should not fight this Antares…" Michelle trailed in concern. "She doesn't stand a chance."

"The wind is changing direction…" Amara stated, blinking her dark green eyes, intensely focusing on Antares. "Something is going to happen, and soon."

* * *

Goku, Vegeta, and Rei all looked at Shin suspiciously as he returned to the waiting area. Krillin and the rest of the Scouts all widened their eyes in curiosity as the purple man made his way toward Piccolo standing in the back. Rei wanted to get in on their staring contest, but she had intuition enough to know that it was a private affair. Besides, she was getting just as weird vibes from that Antares person as from Shin, so she would focus on the upcoming match.

* * *

"ALL RIGHT SPORTS FANS!" The announcer beckoned. "LET THE THIRD MATCH OF THE WORLD MARTIAL ARTS TOURNAMENT BEGIN!"

Videl rushed forward, and with a leap, smashed Antares' check with a right hook, then followed it up with a kick to his left temple, sending him flying across the ring.

* * *

"Wow, she's pretty good!" Serena declared.

"A lot better moves than your fight anyway!" Mina teased.

"Hey!" Serena pouted.

"Antares is struggling to his feet." Ami observed. "This won't take much longer."

"I'll give him one more minute tops!" Gohan cheered, eliciting a bit of jealousy from the girls.

* * *

Antares finally got up to his feet at the count of seven. Like a panther, Videl immediately pounced. She kicked Antares in the gut and then sent a backspin elbow to his nose, again sending him flying across the ring.

"Antares is down again! What perfect form!" The announcer complimented as the crowd cheered. Videl continued to observe her opponent as she was catching her breath. "Time to begin the count! One!"

Antares sat up with a serious frown on his face. He floated up above the ring, then calmly floated back down until he was on his feet, stunning the audience. Videl grimaced and once again got into guard.

* * *

Goku frowned in the back, turning toward Vegeta who had the same look on his face. Rei walked in between them and frowned as well. All three nodded at each other.

* * *

Darien and the cat's faces instantly turned into suspicious frowns.

"Something is not right with this Antares." Darien stated.

"I don't like this…not one bit." Luna muttered.

* * *

Videl was stunned as Antares landed a few feet in front of her.

"You're nothing." He spat. "Fighting you humans is so dull."

* * *

All of the Sailor Scouts looked toward Antares with suspicion. Goku and Vegeta glanced at one another again.

"Gohan, tell Videl to forfeit." Goku ordered.

"Your father is right Gohan." Serena agreed in a rare tone of seriousness, eliciting shock from even Vegeta. "She can't win this match, I just know it, and I don't want to see anyone get hurt!"

Gohan nodded. There was no way Videl could win.

"VIDEL! YOU NEED TO FORFEIT THE MATCH!" Gohan shouted.

* * *

Videl shifted her eyes toward the back to see a shouting Gohan.

"No!" She was insulted.

"Please Videl!" Mina stepped forward. "This man is dangerous!"

Videl glared daggers at Mina, remembering their previous encounters of the day. Did that little hussy think she was better than her?!

"You should listen to them."

Videl turned toward the calm voice of Antares.

"You're pathetic. I don't really want to hurt you, but you're wasting my time, and I am a professional."

"And you mean I'm not a professional?!" Videl seethed. She rushed forward, and leapt into the air, throwing a kick toward Antares' right cheek. She was shocked when he easily blocked it with his wrist, not so much as moving his eyes. Videl's eyes widened as she attempted to knee Antares in the face, which was blocked by his other wrist.

Antares slammed his fist into Videl's stomach, sending the girl flying back to the edge of the ring. His calm, controlled expression had not changed. Videl struggled up and coughed up a bit of blood.

"Videl is up!" The announcer cheered along with the crowd. "And she's ready to get right back in the fight!"

* * *

"VIDEL!" Gohan shouted with his hands cupped to his mouth for better amplification. "YOU CAN'T BEAT HIM, YOU NEED TO QUIT!"

The Sailor Scouts were also begging her to forfeit, Serena most of all. It was in her nature to care for the well-being of others, even if she just met them. This only served to make Videl angrier. Did those girls think they were better than her?!

"Please Videl…don't fight." Serena whispered, her eyes beginning to tear up. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see Goku, a serious gaze on his face. He gave her a reassuring smile, which she returned with her eyes sparkling.

* * *

Videl flew up into the sky, eliciting 'ooohs' and 'aaahhs' from the crowd. She growled a war cry and attempted to implant her foot right in Antares' face from a downward trajectory. The mysterious fighter however, easily blocked it like it was the foot of a toddler. Antares promptly kneed her in the gut, sending her flying up into the air, and he quickly took off after her. Videl's beaten face displayed its shock and anger as he grabbed her arm and threw a straight punch right in between her eyes, causing the girl to scream loudly. He then kicked her in the gut and sent her crashing into the ring.

"Oh…and Videl is down…!" The announcer shouted in worry for her. "I guess it's time to begin the count…one!"

The announcer's voice rang distantly in her ears. 'Two, three, four, five.' She fluttered her eyes and glared at Antares hovering high above her. She struggled to her feet between the count of seven and eight.

Antares smirked and floated back down to the ring.

"And it appears that the match…will continue…" The announcer trailed, knowing full well Videl was far outmatched.

Even Videl was forced to gasp as Antares dematerialized and reappeared right in front of Videl, sweeping her off her feet and planting a kick right in her gut. There was an audible crack of her ribs breaking under the mysterious fighter's pressure. She screamed, filling the entire stadium with her pain.

* * *

"Videl!" The Sailor Scouts all shouted in concern.

"All right! That's it!" Gohan shouted in anger. He grunted and a golden aura began to surround him. The Sailor Scouts widened their eyes as Gohan's hair towel flew off his head and they could have sworn they saw his entire head of hair flash gold. Rei especially widened her eyes as she felt the very air around them begin to crack.

"Hey! Cool it!" Goku shouted, ending the odd display just as quickly as it came. The Scouts looked at the two men in bewilderment, while Vegeta merely leaned back against the wall with his arms crossed.

"G…Gohan?" Mina asked in an expression of both curiosity and deep concern.

Gohan came back to his senses as he looked into Mina's worried eyes and heard his father's commanding voice. He widened his eyes behind his shades as he stared into Mina's eyes- he felt their brightness shining onto him, instantly calming him down. The girl's eyes sparkled at the prolonged eye contact, causing Gohan to widen his eyes even further, but his father's voice broke the contact off.

"You'll get him later." He stated. "In the meantime, Videl looks like she might have broken some ribs, I'm gonna go over to Korin's to get some Senzu Beans. You, Vegeta, and Piccolo can hold the fort while I'm gone."

"Right, good idea dad." Gohan nodded.

The Sailor Scouts all had shocked looks on their faces when Goku disappeared.

"Uh…Senzu Beans?" Mina finally asked.

"Who's Korin?" Lita asked with bulging eyes. "And Mina, you just back off, Gohan is

mine!"

"Hey!" She seethed.

"Guys, there's no need to argue!" Serena tried to play peacemaker.

"SHUT UP!" They both screeched. "YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND, SO IT'S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY!"

"Hey!" Serena shouted and got in on the argument, arguing that they shouldn't argue.

"Guys please, stop!" Ami beckoned.

Gohan toppled to the ground at hearing them argue.

Vegeta grimaced and kept his back to the wall, eyes on the match. _Annoying!_ He scoffed. He then turned to Rei, who surprised him by not saying a word, only focusing intently on Antares. _So maybe, and this is a big maybe, there's at least one professional amongst these brats!_ He spat in his thoughts.

* * *

Videl screamed in pain as she attempted to get up.

"Videl! I must stop this match now!" The announcer yelled.

"No!" Videl shouted as she actually managed to step up on her feet. "I can still beat this guy!"

Antares huffed, annoyed. "You humans are so stupid. You simply don't know when to stop fighting. This emotion you call hope- it's so irrational. The New Era will put a stop to such stupidity. Now, I have no further time for you, goodbye." With that, Antares raised his hand and a black bolt of lightning flashed from the sky, crackling into Videl and knocking her out of the ring and into the wall accompanied by her electrified wail.

The crowd was once more stunned to silence.

"Antares is the winner…" The announcer trailed as paramedics put Videl on a stretcher.

"You needn't worry yourself." Antares said as he turned his head back to the announcer. "She'll live, for now."

The announcer was stunned as Antares calmly stepped out of the ring and began to walk to the back.

* * *

"I'm pretty sure I've seen that style of attack before!" Rei declared in nervousness.

"Yes…" Serena trailed, remembering their last encounter with…_him_. "You think he could be…?"

"I don't know…I can't find any data on him." Ami stated while searching frantically on her computer.

"What are you guys talking about?" Krillin asked in curiosity.

"We're trying to find out who this guy is." Lita answered.

The Sailor Scouts' breaths hitched in their throats as Antares came back into the waiting area. He smirked at them all, laughing inwardly, causing all of the Scouts to backtrack. Vegeta merely gave a haughty chuckle at all of them, still not moving from his spot.

"Hey! Antares!"

He turned his attention toward the fighter in green as he was making his way back to the lockers.

"After my match, it's you and me!" Gohan said angrily. "And I promise you, I'm taking you down!"

The Sailor Scouts widened their eyes in shock at Gohan's boldness. The tension between the two was clear as they sized one another up. Antares smirked and laughed, then headed to the back.

"Gohan…you don't really mean to fight that guy do you?" Rei asked in concern. "He is very powerful."

Vegeta huffed. "That guy is a weakling!"

"You are so arrogant!" Rei shouted. "Didn't you see what he did to Videl?!"

Vegeta laughed even louder.

"Gohan, we know you're strong and everything…but don't take that guy so lightly!" Lita advised. "I'd give the same advice to you Vegeta…but you won't listen to anyone!"

Vegeta flashed a toothy smirk.

"I'll say, trying to give advice to Vegeta is like trying to stop a train with your hands!" Krillin joked, trying to break the tension.

"Don't worry guys; I'll be fine, really." Gohan insisted.

"Like I said, that guy is a weakling! He's just lucky I wasn't out there!" Vegeta declared.

The Sailor Scouts all had curious expressions on their faces, not the scoffs they usually showed when Vegeta boasted.

"Is there something you haven't been telling us?" Serena finally asked, stepping forward. "You guys speak as if that powerful fighter we just saw was nothing, and you sure didn't display shock earlier when you knew that Sailor Saturn could destroy a planet, and how do you know so much about us?! Just who are you guys, really?"

Vegeta, Krillin, and Gohan glanced at each other, Gohan was about to talk when Goku suddenly reappeared, once more causing shock amongst the Sailor Scouts.

"Gohan, go give one of these to Videl." Goku ordered. "We really lucked out, Korin only had three left."

"All right! Way to go dad!" Gohan complimented. He took a bean and began to run toward the infirmary, running into Kibito. "Oh! Hey big guy, I'll be right out, just wait a minute!"

Kibito's hard face peered at Gohan's retreating form as he made his way toward the infirmary.

* * *

Goten and Trunks ate like madmen, eliciting curious stares from Rini and Hotaru, who had barely begun to dig into their meals.

"Wow, you guys eat even more than Serena…" Rini muttered.

"That's not to be taken lightly, Rini." Hotaru whispered in her ear, causing both girls to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Goten and Trunks both asked with their mouths full and wide eyes, causing the girls to laugh even harder.

"Hey, the tournament is still going on you know, don't you think we should get out there? Our friends are all competing!" Hotaru said.

"Nah, we all know my dad's gonna win." Trunks stated, causing Goten to frown as he sucked up his noodles.

"No way! Gohan or my dad are gonna win!"

The two young half-Saiyans gritted their teeth and got in each other's faces.

"Guys, don't fight!" Rini insisted.

"Sure! I won't fight, Rini!" Goten instantly said with a closed-eyed smile as he let go of Trunks' collar, causing the lavender haired boy to fall out of his chair.

Rini widened her eyes in curiosity at Goten's reaction. Hotaru had a bored look on her face, only casually munching on an eggroll.

"Hotaru, can I have the rest of your eggrolls?"

Hotaru widened her eyes at Trunks.

"…Well, ummm, since you don't seem to be eating them."

"Sure."

"All right!" Trunks shouted in excitement and began stuffing his face.

Hotaru giggled as she watched Trunks shovel the food down his mouth. He really was just like Serena!

* * *

Gohan ran past Goku, Krillin, and Piccolo and out to the tournament grounds, exchanging a reassuring look with his father along the way.

"Good luck Gohan!" The Sailor Scouts yelled with smiles and waves.

Gohan ran up to Kibito. "All right, thanks for waiting for me!"

Kibito merely nodded with his stiff face and got in the ring, followed by Gohan.

"All right fans, sorry to have kept you waiting, but let's start the fourth match! It's Kibito versus the Great Saiyaman!"

* * *

"So…there's this Great Saiyaman person that the girls are so gaga over." Amara smirked.

"Hey, he looks nervous." Michelle said as she saw his expression. "Looks like some people from the crowd are noticing him." Michelle smiled as she saw him take off his sunglasses. "Well…he is cute, I'll give them that." She giggled.

"You're drooling Michelle." Amara smirked.

"Well I'm allowed to look aren't I?" She continued to giggle. "You know I don't do boys anyway!"

The two shared a rare full-blown laugh.

* * *

"WOW!" Serena, Mina, Rei, and Ami all shouted when Gohan took off his glasses. "WHAT A HUNKY GUY!!!!" They shouted in jubilance, hearts in their eyes.

"Hey, back off Serena, you already have Darien!" Rei glared.

"But Darien's not here!" Serena corrected. "Besides, I can ogle all I want as long as nothing becomes of it!" She narrowed her eyes.

"GRRR!" Rei growled.

"GRRR!" Serena growled back.

The two then proceeded to stick their tongues out at each other and pinch each other's cheeks.

"Wow…he's so dreamy!" Mina said with hearts in her eyes and hands on her cheeks.

"He looks like my ex-boyfriend." Lita said with a blush, causing Mina to narrow her eyes at her friend and then topple over.

"Looks like Gohan's a real ladies' man now, Goku!" Krillin exclaimed.

Goku laughed, while Piccolo stood there with a stare.

"Women…how completely idiotic!" Vegeta seethed.

* * *

"Gohan, I am curious to see your Super Saiyan powers, show them to me, we may be able to use them." Kibito stated to Gohan in the ring.

"Hey, how do you know I'm a Super Saiyan?! And what do you mean by we may be able to use them?!"

"You'll know in time, show me your Super Saiyan powers now!"

"I'm not gonna transform out here!" Gohan objected.

* * *

"What are they doing? They're just talking!" Krillin described, bewildered. The Sailor Scouts still hadn't moved from their ogling trance, except Ami.

"Kibito wants to see him become a Super Saiyan." Goku whispered to Krillin.

"Super what?" Rei asked, breaking the Scouts' trance. She curiously turned her head in Piccolo's direction, seeing that he was looking at the mysterious Shin.

"Gohan!" Piccolo got his friend's attention. He then nodded to the young man, telling him to do as Kibito said.

"What is it Piccolo? What's happening out there?" Goku asked.

"Yeah Piccolo, what's going on?" Mina seconded.

"I'm not sure, we'll see." He whispered.

The Scouts all widened their eyes as Shin joined the group.

"It's time. You do not need to worry about Gohan, he will be fine, but no matter what happens I want all of you to promise me you'll stay out of the ring, do you understand?"

"What?! No way!" Krillin responded.

"What do you want with Gohan?" Goku asked suspiciously.

"He wants to see his power." Piccolo answered.

"If Gohan is in trouble, I need to help him! Why would he go out with me if I didn't come to his aid?" Mina asked, dramatically putting a hand over her heart and staring at the ceiling.

"Who says he's gonna go out with you?!" Lita and Rei both glared.

Their bickering was broken by Vegeta's voice.

"I don't know you and you're telling me what to do?! Who do you think you are?!"

"Yeah! You're definitely up to something!" Rei seconded. "For all we know you could be a capital C creep!"

"YEAH!" The other four scouts followed, even Ami.

"Vegeta! Girls!" Piccolo said in a scolding tone. "Show him some respect! That is no way to be talking to the _Supreme Kai!_"

Everyone gathered was stunned, even Vegeta.

"I heard stories from King Kai but I thought they were just stories! Shin, you're the Supreme Kai?!" Goku asked in shock.

Rei's eyes buckled. Here she was, being rude to _god!_ Even the noisy Serena was stunned to silence.

"Isn't Gohan dreamy though?" Mina finally managed to break the silence.

"You know it!" Lita agreed, and soon enough the four Sailor Scouts minus Ami gawked at the young half-Saiyan in the ring.

"Listen, all of you." The Supreme Kai said, especially to the gawking girls, who haphazardly shifted their gazes to the purple being. "The minute Gohan transforms out there, I'm certain that Antares and whatever company he's brought will try to attack him. But as I've already told you, you must not try to help him."

"Transforms?" The Sailor Scouts asked in unison.

"I don't know what you're after, but Gohan can take care of himself!" Krillin countered, ignoring the Scouts. "He doesn't need any help from us!"

"Yes, of course." The Supreme Kai answered Krillin, not elaborating on the Sailor Scouts' question. "Antares is not yet aware of it, but Gohan is what he came for. Don't worry; he doesn't want his life, just his energy."

"Energy?!" The Sailor Scouts again asked in unison.

"Excuse me, Mister Supreme Kai, sir." Rei beckoned, eliciting a glance from him. "Is Antares going to attempt to steal Gohan's energy? I'm sure you're aware of it, but we've run into a lot of energy stealers recently!" The other Scouts nodded at the end of their friend's monologue.

"That's precisely what he's going to do, and the process will certainly be familiar to all of you Sailor Scouts, but you must promise me to remain calm when it happens, is that understood?"

The girls nervously nodded at his command.

"So uhh…what's this transformation we're about to see?" Serena asked, pointing her index fingers together.

"Hey!" Vegeta broke the dialogue, shouting at Videl who rejoined the group and vaulted on the sign to see Gohan.

* * *

"Whatever Kibito is goading this Saiyaman to do, he's doing it for a reason." Trista said to her companions. "Keep focused on the ring. I think we're getting very close to something!"

Amara and Michelle nodded and cast a serious gaze toward the two fighters.

* * *

"Last chance for requests." Gohan stated to Kibito. "Do you just want to see a Super Saiyan, or should I take it up to the next level?!" He frowned.

"What's that? There's a level beyond a Super Saiyan?!"

Gohan nodded, and then began to gather his power.

"HAAAAHHH!" He shouted, causing the ring to shake and electricity to crackle around him. His eyes turned blue and his hair sparked gold. The surge of sheer power caused the sky to darken and the white tiles of the ring to actually float around him. Finally, a golden aura surrounded him, promptly lighting up the entire arena.

* * *

"WHAT IS THIS GUYS?!" Serena shouted.

The Scouts' latest swoon was instantly broken.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Lita answered in complete gape-mouthed shock.

Videl, Rei, Mina, and Ami all stood in the same bug-eyed, gape-mouthed shock as the tiles pounded back into position, and Gohan emerged with blonde hair and green-blue eyes, with a golden aura and electricity surrounding his body to match.

* * *

Amara, Michelle, and Trista were at a complete loss for words.

"Oh wow…" Amara whispered with her eyes as wide as the sea. "Do you feel his power? It's incredible! I've never felt anything this enormous before!"

"I know!" Michelle agreed. "A true Super Saiyan in the flesh, that's for damn sure…!"

"I know who that kid is!" Trista stated. "You guys most definitely remember that kid who fought Cell!"

"…Of course!" Amara managed to say. "That little kid with the golden aura that killed Cell! I still remember that, and I was only ten back then! It's gotta be him!"

"Yes, of course it must be! All the other Z Fighters are here! What is going on here?!" Michelle asked.

* * *

Darien and the cats stared at Gohan, completely stunned. Luna finally managed to gasp.

"Oh no! Artemis! That kid is a…_Super Saiyan!_"

"You're right! But I thought the Saiyans were all gone, finally suffering the same fate as the Lunarians!"

Darien pondered. "It's that kid…that kid that fought Cell! I still remember that like it was yesterday! He's a Saiyan…a kid that saved the world is one of those barbarians I was told about?!" He asked in disbelief.

"Super Saiyan?" Diana squeaked out, unsure of what they were talking about.

* * *

"There, now you know what I can do, is this good enough for ya?!" Gohan shouted to Kibito in confidence. "What happens now, should I start fighting?!"

_What enormous energy!_ Kibito thought in surprise. _He is far stronger than I expected!_

_

* * *

_

"Hah!" Vegeta scoffed. "Gohan had a lot more power when he fought Cell! I think your son has gone soft in these peaceful times Kakarott!" He huffed.

The Scouts' already wide eyes grew even wider as they shifted their glances toward the men.

"You may be right, but he is still the strongest fighter at this tournament." The Supreme Kai stated. "The only question is…will it be enough?"

"For what?" Goku asked.

"Uhhh…guys…Gohan fought Cell?!" Serena managed to ask.

Rei suddenly had a flashback to the cheesy movie they had seen earlier that day, and then to the broadcast of the Cell games. Her eyes widened even further.

"YES!" Rei answered. "Gohan was that kid! And you guys were the ones that were at the Cell Games! I recognize you!"

"Yep, that would be us." Krillin answered. "Hi I'm Krillin, it's nice to meet you." He reintroduced himself.

"So…Gohan is the kid that killed Cell…" Mina trailed.

"Yes, he was." Goku answered. "I'm sorry we haven't been completely honest with you. But hey, you were curious about the halo earlier, that's where this comes from! Cell blew me up!" Goku laughed.

The Scouts smiled at the humor.

"I have seen plenty of transformations in my day, never one like this!" Ami said as she shifted her attention back to Gohan, her blue eyes reflecting the yellow fire and sparks of electricity that Gohan was emitting. "What is it, if I may ask?"

"That's Gohan's Ascended Super Saiyan state." Goku answered.

The girls' faces went white.

"…Super…Saiyan?" They all asked at once.

"You guys are…Saiyans?" Serena trailed in fear.

"No, just Goku and Vegeta." Krillin answered. "Their sons, Gohan, Goten, and Trunks, are half human, half Saiyan. Hey…how do you know about Saiyans anyway?"

"Well…" Serena trailed.

_What the hell?_ Rei thought. _The Supreme Kai is here, I don't have to be afraid._ "We were told by our Guardians and other sources that the Saiyans were a savage race of barbarians that thirsted for nothing but war and personal glory. They were perpetual fighters, and not civilized compared to the Lunarians of the Silver Millennium." Rei gasped and covered her mouth when she realized she said the last bit- very Serena-like.

"Silver Millennium?!" Vegeta scoffed in anger.

"Silver Millennium…?" Goku asked in curiosity.

"Of course…I recognize you now!" Vegeta laughed. "You all must be reincarnations of those blasted Lunarian Princesses! I thought the whole reincarnation thing was just a damn myth!"

"That explains why you're such a haughty piece!" Rei seethed. "It's the Saiyan way!"

"Yeah!" Mina and Lita scoffed.

"Spoken like true LUNARIAN WEAKLINGS!" Vegeta seethed. "It's no wonder that your species was wiped out by such a puny force like Queen Beryl and the Dark Kingdom, when it was we Saiyans that kicked their rear ends!"

"Hey, who are you calling a weakling!" Serena finally entered. "Your kind neglected and ignored our treaty, only acting when _you_ thought it was convenient!"

Vegeta laughed. "Why waste valuable and scarce time pulling weaklings out of the fire?!"

This only made all of the Scouts even angrier.

"Uhh…" Goku scratched his head. "How come I don't know about any of this?"

"Because you don't know your proper Saiyan history, Kakarott!" Vegeta scoffed.

"Please!" The Supreme Kai's commanding, yet calm voice halted the argument. "We've no time for this. You must set this bickering aside, for the moment at least."

"So Gohan is a…Saiyan…" Mina trailed.

"Hey, Mina, if you're interested in going out with Gohan, don't worry, he's a real nice guy!" Krillin spoke up for his friend. "I don't know what you're all arguing about, but your thoughts about Saiyans certainly don't apply to Goku or Gohan."

Mina shifted her eyes to Krillin and then back to Gohan, his golden aura and electricity sparkling in her eyes.

"Well, he did save the world from Cell!" Serena took her usual route, finding the good in everyone. "Saiyan or no Saiyan, that counts for something right?"

"That is exactly correct." The Supreme Kai said. "All of these last remaining Saiyans are true heroes who have saved the galaxy time and time again, even Vegeta. So please, I want all of you to leave your preconceived notions aside."

The Kai's words calmed the tension, except with Vegeta, who continued to scoff.

* * *

"What's the matter, come on, fight me!" Gohan challenged. "What are you waiting for, a written invitation?!"

* * *

Antares peered at him from his prone position on the roof. He was quite surprised at the huge amount of power this young man was emitting, but maintained his professionalism.

"Girls, it's him." He communicated telepathically.

The four Sprite Sisters appeared near him and immediately took cover.

"Whoa! That guy is majorly cute!" Charybdis squealed upon setting her eyes on him.

"He's so hot he cracks electricity!" Scylla swooned.

"SHUT UP!" Antares said through gritted teeth. "Need I remind you we have a job to do?!" He sighed. "Now, are you and the Numba all ready?"

"Check." Chimera answered.

"Then let's do this." Antares said.

Medusa snapped her fingers and a bugle appeared in her hands. She brought the horn up to her lips and blew it, making the sound echo through the stadium. A chorus of low, yet hyper voices began to fill the air, followed by the sight of brown forms flying all around the stadium, landing and terrorizing people with their disgusting bodies.

* * *

"Hey!" Rei shouted. "It's those creatures!"

"And it looks like they want to beat people up again!" Lita shouted.

"Come on guys, we need to get out there!"

"Stay where you are Sailor Moon!" The Supreme Kai ordered.

Her deep sapphire eyes bulged at him in curiosity, and then anger.

"No! We have to go and help!"

The Supreme Kai was stunned that she would defy someone even of his status for what she felt was right, eliciting a smirk.

"Do as he says, Serena." Goku asked, putting two hands on her shoulders as she watched the scene helplessly.

"There!" The Supreme Kai said as he saw Antares and four companions rush toward Gohan.

"THE SPRITE SISTERS!" The Scouts all said at once.

* * *

"Looks like we've got company!" Gohan frowned as he saw Antares and four women flying right at him. He turned around, fully ready to pound them all into oblivion.

"HAAAAH!" The purple kai raised his hands and emitted a blue glow.

"What did you do?!" Goku asked.

* * *

Gohan was stunned as he felt himself unable to move. Antares appeared right in front of him, grinning snidely. The four Sprite Sisters all stood behind him in a circle, joining their hands together. He kneed Gohan painfully in the gut, sending a yellow flash of energy into the circle that the four sisters had created with their hands.

* * *

"Did you see them?! The Sprite Sisters are all here!" Michelle said as the three ran along with the crowd, for cover.

"And those creatures! We better find a place to transform!" Amara said.

"Look, there's Darien!" Trista pointed. "Darien!" She called.

He and the cats turned toward the three, all of them met while still running.

"You guys didn't say you'd be here." Darien stated.

"We didn't say we wouldn't." Amara corrected. "And it looks like it's a good thing we showed up!"

"Agreed, we must stop those creatures!" He answered.

"There's such a panic, there's lots of victims for those things!" Artemis said. "You better hurry up!"

The four people and three cats ran out of the stadium and into one of the local bathrooms.

"Outer Scouts, transform!" Luna beckoned, all three nodded at the cat.

"URANUS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

"NEPTUNE CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

"PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

All three went through their transformations and emerged as Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Darien once again became Tuxedo Mask.

"Let's go!" Uranus beckoned.

She, Neptune, and Pluto ran out of the bathroom and took off into the sky, flying toward the stadium. Tuxedo Mask and the cats were shocked.

"Since when did they learn how to fly…?" Tuxedo Mask asked.

"No time for that!" Luna exclaimed. "We need to get to the other Scouts!"

* * *

Gohan's screams continued to fill the arena as Antares continued to land hit after hit on his body, sending more yellow flashes of energy to the sisters. His weakening eyes observed the panicked crowed helplessly as those disgusting creatures continued to run amok. Eventually, Gohan's hair faded back to black, and his skin grew pale.

"Gohan!" Videl and all the Scouts shouted in concern.

Serena began to cry as she felt so powerless to help Gohan and all the other people that the creatures were terrorizing- not everyone had evacuated yet, it was difficult to do in such a panic. Goku's hands were still on her shoulders.

"Don't worry." He said. "We'll go get them."

Eventually, the beating stopped, and Gohan collapsed. The Sprite sisters broke formation and took to the sky with Antares. After a brief conversation, all four flew away from the stadium.

"Now!" The Supreme Kai ordered. "All of you, go and dispense of those creatures! Do not worry about Gohan, Kibito will take care of him, he does not need your assistance. Go! Quickly!"

"Right!" The Sailor Scouts, Goku, and Krillin answered, while Vegeta and Piccolo merely prepared for battle.

All nine warriors ran out to the ring.

"RAINBOW…MOON…HEART…ACHE!" Sailor Moon shouted, going through her motions. Out of her Kaleidomoon Scope came multiple pink hearts, all of them smashing into the brown creatures, shattering their forms to liquid.

"LOVELY!" They screamed.

"Hmph! What an absurd attack for a warrior!" Vegeta seethed as he took off into the air. "RAPID FIRE!" He screamed, sending blast after blast of yellow energy directly into his targets.

"I'll show you, Saiyan!" Sailor Mars challenged.

"Mars Celestial Fire SURROUND!" She shouted and shot her rings of fire, charring the creatures that they hit to ashes.

"MAKOUSEN…HAAA!" Piccolo shouted as he formed a sphere in his hands, which were conjoined in a ball type shape. What resulted was an astonishing flash of yellow and then a huge blast which vaporized many multiples of the creatures.

"Wow…" All the Sailor Scouts trailed.

Vegeta laughed. "I suppose you girls aren't used to being in the presence of _real fighters_."

"We'll show you!" Venus seethed. "VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SHOWER!" She shouted and pointed her finger, sending a shower of yellow beams through the creatures.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Sailor Mercury shouted, sending a wave of water at her targets, crushing them.

"Destructo Disk!" Krillin grimaced and send his attack at one of the creatures, slicing it in half.

"Look boys! We gotta attack those people!" One of the creatures shouted.

"Yeah, they're killin' us!"

As soon as the second one opened his mouth, he was hit by Sailor Jupiter's Sparkling Wide Pressure attack, being electrified and gritting his teeth in shock before he died.

Soon however, the monsters swarmed, and one of them kicked Sailor Moon painfully in the gut, sending the girl colliding against the wall.

"SAILOR MOON!" The other Scouts cried.

Goku quickly took care of the offender with an energy blast, but was dismayed at the number of enemies.

"Shouldn't you go and help them?!" Videl asked the Supreme Kai.

"No." He answered. "They can take care of themselves, and I am curious to see how they all fight together."

Videl looked up at him in wonder as the sounds of the chaos outside continued to ring in her ears. What was he up to?

Vegeta's eyes widened as the numbers of creatures approaching him was huge, even with his blasts. They widened further as they began shooting their own energy attacks at him, with him dodging and returning fire. He could see that Piccolo was under the same stress on the ground.

"Oh no!" Sailor Moon shouted as she finally recovered, seeing a swarm heading toward the Supreme Kai and Videl. "Supreme Kai, watch out!"

"URANUS WORLD SHAKING!"

"NEPTUNE DEEP SUBMERGE!"

"PLUTO DEAD SCREAM!"

In flashes of orange, blue, and purple, the enemies heading toward Vegeta, Piccolo, and the Supreme Kai were all destroyed. Sailor Moon's eyes lit up as she saw the outers land in the ring.

"Sorry we're so late, Sailor Moon!" Uranus smiled.

"No problem!" She replied.

"I never asked for your help!" Vegeta scoffed at Uranus, who only distantly narrowed her eyes at him.

"Hi Piccolo, it's great to see you again!" Neptune greeted.

"So, you guys showed up, I'm not surprised." The Namek grinned, eliciting smiles from Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

"You know him?!" Serena asked in curiosity.

"Piccolo, you know some of the Sailor Scouts before today?" Goku asked in the same tone.

"No time to explain right now." Piccolo's low voice resounded. "SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!" He shouted, sending the bright red spiral-straight beam through five creatures stacked behind one another.

"All right Piccolo!" Amara complimented.

Serena was in shock at the tone of admiration in her voice, Amara had never shown such a tone to anyone before! She then saw a huge creature standing right in front of her, widening her eyes and those of the other Scouts.

"AAAHHH!" She yelped.

A rose impaled his head, causing him to backtrack.

"TUXEDO MASK!" She shouted with hearts in her eyes.

"This tournament is supposed to have been for the world to enjoy! The world loves to watch the enduring human spirit, of these competitors giving everything they have toward achieving their goal, and you all ruined it! Punish this one, Sailor Moon!"

"Right!" She agreed. "Moon…Gorgeous…Meditation!" She shouted and charged up her attack.

"Noooo, I loved this partyyyyy!" The creature shouted as he broke up in shards.

_How ridiculous!_ Vegeta thought as he floated back down to the ground.

"I'll get the last of them!" Goku volunteered. "KA…ME…HA…ME…HAAAAA!" He yelled, releasing a huge blue-white wave of energy, engulfing screaming creatures in its glow, vaporizing them to nothing.

"Wow…" The Scouts again gawked, except the Outers.

"Very well done." The Supreme Kai complimented. "Now, Kibito, heal Gohan. All of you, I must follow Antares and his companions. I could use your help. If you come with me, I promise I will give you the answers that you seek about these creatures, and Mordred."

This caused the Sailor Scouts to go bug-eyed in curiosity, even the Outers.

"Mordred?" Goku and Krillin looked at each other.

"You guys…fight beautifully!" Serena complimented as Tuxedo Mask came beside her. "Saiyan or not!"

"These guys are all legends, Serena." Amara complimented as Kibito began to heal Gohan. "When it comes to saving the world, compared to these guys we're all beginners. Goku, it truly is an honor to meet you."

Goku smiled as he shook Sailor Uranus' hand.

"Yes, Piccolo told us some stuff about you, but not much, fortunately, we did some deducing while we were watching the competition." Sailor Pluto seconded as she walked up to them.

"So, you guys are Sailor Scouts too?" Krillin asked.

"Yep, I'm Amara, otherwise known as Sailor Uranus."

"Michelle, otherwise known as Sailor Neptune."

"Trista, otherwise known as Sailor Pluto."

"Great…more brats to deal with!" Vegeta spat.

"GOHAN!" Lita, Rei, Mina, and Videl all shouted at once when he was revived.

"Hey…what happened? Who are the new girls?"

"Are you feeling all right, Gohan?"

"Yeah Mina, I feel even better than I did before! Thanks Kibito!"

"I must be going now, are you coming with me?" The Supreme Kai asked.

Everyone nodded. The purple being nodded back and took off to the sky, followed by Goku, Krillin, and Vegeta, who audibly shouted at Goku concerning their upcoming match.

Piccolo, Kibito, Gohan, and Videl began to float off the ground next, followed by Amara, Michelle, and Trista.

"HEY! HOW COME YOU NEVER TOLD US YOU COULD FLY?!" Serena asked the Outers in jealousy.

"You never asked." Amara answered, causing Serena to have a bewildered look on her face.

"Piccolo taught us, do you like it?" Michelle giggled, seeing the jealous looks on the Inners' faces.

"YOU BETTER TEACH US HOW!" Serena pouted, causing them to laugh.

"For Trista and I, it was really easy, but Michelle had the worst time in the world learning how!" She laughed.

"Hey, that's not nice!" Michelle gave a rare pout.

"We don't have time for this!" Piccolo shouted. "Carry the others! We need to catch up now!"

"All right." Gohan assented as he floated back down. His eyes widened when Mina and Rei instantly zipped over to him, their eyes sparkling while looking into his.

"Carry me Gohan, I'm a helpless maiden!" Mina's eyes sparkled as she put her hand over her heart. Rei merely gritted her teeth as he took both girls under his two arms and lifted off into the air.

"Hop on, Serena." Amara beckoned, and Serena obliged by hopping onto her back and putting her arms around her, Ami doing the same with Michelle, and Lita holding onto Trista, still grumbling how she was beaten to Gohan.

"Tuxedo Mask, I would advise that you stay here." Kibito ordered. "We will come for you later, make sure everything is all right."

"Yeah, you can go and meet our group!" Gohan seconded. "Just look for people named Chi Chi, Bulma, and Yamcha."

Tuxedo Mask nodded. "Good luck everyone! I'll see you later!"

With that, the group took off, quickly catching up to the ones ahead.

* * *

"I'm glad you all decided to come!" The Supreme Kai smiled. "And thank you! Without your help I would not be able to defeat them!"

"You need us to beat them?!" Goku asked.

"No, it's not Antares or his companions that I'm worried about." The Kai answered. "It's their Master."

"MORDRED!" All eight Sailor Scouts stated at once.

"Yes." The Supreme Kai agreed. "Piccolo, you no doubt know of him as well."

"Piccolo?" Amara asked.

"Do you know about Mordred?" Serena asked the Supreme Kai.

"I told you that if you followed me, I would give you the answers you seek, and that's precisely what I'm going to do. To begin with, your Guardians have not told you everything concerning your past lives or the fall of the Silver Millennium, bits of crucial information were deliberately left blank by Queen Serenity."

"Deliberately blank?" Serena asked.

"Yes, Princess Serenity." The Kai called her by her proper title. "Your mother and I had an agreement, that certain things would never be spoken of or remembered unless the Darkness reappeared, unfortunately, that time has come."

"Darkness?" She asked. "You knew my mother?"

"What do you know about Mordred?!" Rei asked with grit.

"I was about to get to that." The Supreme Kai answered. "Yes, Princess Serenity, I know your mother very well. Let's begin. Sailor Scouts, all of the enemies that you have been facing were in fact nothing more than Mordred's minions."

The Sailor Scouts' eyes widened in shock, even the Outers.

"For the first five years after the defeat of Cell by Gohan, the planet Earth entered another time of peace and prosperity, but then, the Cult of Darkness reappeared."

"What Cult of Darkness?" Goku asked in seriousness.

"Girls, Mordred is the man behind Queen Beryl, this is the man that sent the Wiseman to manipulate the Negamoon. Mordred was the force behind Pharaoh 90 and the Heart Snatchers, and Mordred was Queen Nehelenia's true master. All of them were his lieutenants."

"Piccolo, you mean to tell me that villains have terrorized the Earth since Cell?" Gohan asked.

"Yes. I'm sorry Gohan, I just wanted you to have the opportunity for a normal life, I didn't think they were serious enough to warrant our direct involvement, including Mordred."

"WHAT?!" All of the Inner Scouts asked in anger.

"We could have used your help you know!" Lita scoffed.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to develop another line of defense for the Earth beyond us." Piccolo continued. "That's why I worked with Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto."

"Thanks Piccolo…good idea." Gohan complimented.

"So, Supreme Kai, sir, who exactly is Mordred?" Amara asked.

"Mordred is the last remaining Lunarian. He is the only one left that was alive in the Silver Millennium. He was a Baron in the Moon Kingdom."

"No!" Serena objected. "If he was truly a Peer in my mother's Kingdom, why would he be doing such terrible things?" She asked with tearing eyes.

"Because Mordred betrayed the Moon Kingdom and his mentor long ago." The Kai answered. "Princess Serenity, your mother never told you about the Duke of Tranquility."

"Duke of Tranquility?" All of the Inner Scouts asked in wonder. Even Vegeta's eyes were intensely focused on the story.

"Yes. His name was Robert Neville, the nineteenth Duke of Tranquility." He explained. "He was your mother's first cousin, your first cousin once removed, Princess Serenity. Besides your mother, he was by far the most important and powerful Peer of the Silver Millennium. His duchy over the Sea of Tranquility was a commercial and political hub of the Solar System. But he was more than just a power in the political and economic realm of the Kingdom. He was a very mysterious man, your mother never truly knew her cousin well."

Serena's eyes displayed curiosity and sadness over the course of events the Kai described- and that her mother would keep such information from her.

"Duke Tranquility was withdrawn; he didn't care much for politics, though he would always use his position for his advantage. Your mother was always doubtful of him- whether he truly cared for the Kingdom, or merely his own position. To further confuse her about his loyalties, one time, a few nobles who disagreed with your mother's economic policy planned a coup d'état." The Kai explained. "They planned to kill your mother, kidnap you, you were merely a small infant at the time, and place the Duke on the throne, then marry you to him when you came of age. They disagreed severely with your mother's economic policy- they thought she raised too many protective tariffs for goods originating outside of the Solar System. Duke Tranquility was always a champion of open markets everywhere, so naturally, he was the choice to ascend the throne."

"And what happened?" Gohan asked.

"Duke Tranquility exposed the rebellious peers, had them crucified, and cut their throats. The only time your mother even knew of the planned coup was when the Duke sent their severed heads to her."

Vegeta laughed as the Scouts gasped. "Sounds like this Duke would have made a good Saiyan!"

"What does this have to do with Mordred?" Piccolo asked.

"Yes, I was getting to that." The Kai answered. "So you see, his loyalties were very puzzling indeed. But the Duke was even more than that. He discovered that reality was a fabric, that a warrior could manipulate it in almost any way he desired if he trained hard enough. His magical powers were enormous. The Duke also came across Saiyans in his lifelong desire for a galactic common market. He became very good friends with them and learned their fighting style. He combined both the ethereal fighting style of the Silver Millennium with the physical, raw, energetic fighting style of the Saiyans to create the Hybrid Fighting Style. Simply put, the man's power was enormous. He was the most powerful mortal man to have ever lived."

This shocked Vegeta.

"The reason why Mordred is so powerful is that he was a very good friend of the Duke, and one of the Duke's own Barons. Naturally, Mordred trained under Duke Tranquility and learned the Hybrid Fighting Style."

"Ah!" All of the warriors raised their eyes in shock.

"Of course!" Rei shouted. "He's used both our fighting style and…_your_ fighting style!" She said to the Z Fighters.

"Precisely." The Supreme Kai said. "I'd also like to mention that…there is a reason why Sailor Saturn is so much more powerful than the other Sailor Scouts, with the exception of Princess Serenity herself."

"Why?" This caught the Outers' attention.

"In her past life, she was the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Tranquility."

"What?!" The Scouts shouted.

"Duke Tranqulity was a handsome man, which, combined with the amount of power he possessed in all walks of life, made him a natural ladies man." The Kai continued. "The Queen of Saturn's consort was a bumbling idiot, and she desired the Duke badly. On one of his many galactic voyages, he made a stop to Saturn, and spent several nights with the Queen. When her consort found out, he cursed Sailor Saturn, placing her in the role of the Scout of Destruction, causing her to die if she ever used the full extent of the enormous power she inherited from her father."

The Outer Scouts were especially shocked, but the others were no exception.

"So Mordred was this immensely powerful man's good friend…" Lita stated.

"Exactly, so now you know why he is so strong."

"But what does he want here on Earth?" Goku asked. "And Why are you telling us so much about this Duke of Tranquility?"

The Supreme Kai sighed as he looked at the curious shock displayed on everyone's faces. He would soon tell the story he agreed to never say again.

"Because, as powerful as he is, Mordred himself is but a mere servant of the Real Enemy."

* * *

**Whoa! What a chapter! I hope it wasn't too long or combined too many plot twists at once, but I said it was gonna pick up! Hope you all review, and I'll have the next section out soon!**


	8. The Real Enemy

**Thanks my readers! Keep on reviwin'!**

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* * *

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"Real Enemy?" Everyone asked in curiosity, except Kibito.

The Supreme Kai sighed. "Princess Serenity, it was with good reason that you were never told of the story of Bashgal. However, I am curious as to whether you know of it, Vegeta."

"Bashgal?" Vegeta asked incredulously. "That's nothing more than a myth!"

"Bashgal?" Goku asked Vegeta.

"An epic myth passed down by generations of Saiyan bards and poets." Vegeta explained. "It details a great war long ago against the evil demi-god Bashgal, his cult, and his army of disgusting creatures. The Legendary Super Saiyan is said to have taken part in it, but like I told you, Kakarrot, it's just a myth, much like the Trojan War of the poet Homer in this world."

"And yet the legendary Super Saiyan that the one you called Frieza so mocked you for turned out to be true." The Supreme Kai said to Vegeta.

"Frieza?" Serena whispered in Amara's ear.

"I'll tell you later." She whispered back.

Vegeta scoffed as the Supreme Kai continued to talk.

"And I regret to inform you, Prince Vegeta, that the story of Bashgal is no myth. Far from it, everything you were told by your bards and poets is based on a very true story, one that I wished I never had to tell again."

* * *

"What happened out here?!" Goten shouted as he saw the destruction around the arena.

"It's a ghost town…" Hotaru trailed.

"I sensed everyone's power, and then suddenly they just vanished!" Trunks shouted in confusion. "What's going on?!"

"Oh, I hope they're all right!" Rini worried.

"I'm sure they're fine, Rini." Goten assured. She smiled and nodded, which made Goten give a nervous grin.

"Yeah, my dad and Gohan are really strong." Trunks stated. "Oh, and, I hear your dad's ok too." He muttered the last bit to Goten.

"My mom said that my dad was the strongest in the universe…" Goten objected.

"Where do you think they all went anyway?" Rini asked.

"I don't know, I can't sense anything." Trunks answered.

"Kids!"

"Look, it's Darien!" Hotaru pointed.

Trunks stared curiously and furrowed his brow. _What a lame tuxedo. I can't decide what's worse- his outfit or Gohan's._

"Tuxedo Mask!" Rini shouted and hugged him.

"Who are you?" Goten frowned with a hint of jealousy.

"I'm Darien. You guys must be Trunks and Goten."

"Yeah…?" Trunks trailed in question.

"I've met your parents and friends, they're expecting us. Come with me and I'll explain everything that happened."

Hotaru and Rini followed immediately. Trunks and Goten shared a glance, raised their eyebrows, and shrugged their shoulders, deciding to see what would happen.

* * *

"So, what was this war, and who exactly is Bashgal, sir?" Trista asked.

The Supreme Kai sighed. "Long ago, when the universe was in its infancy, there was a dispute among the Kais over the direction we wished to proceed with it. Most of those who were born from the fruit of the Kaiju, or World Tree, wished to simply oversee a peaceful universe and to let the mortals prosper. However, there were some delinquent Kais born with evil hearts that had to be cast down into the demon world- they wanted to use their position to be worshipped and rule over mortals. There was one particularly evil one, a skilled enchantress named Dokuyaku, and she bided her time while the casting down of the delinquents was ongoing. As the conflict went on, she planted her own World Tree, carefully cultivating a fruit of bronze that was growing from it, and imbued all of her power, magic, wisdom, and will into it. After hard toil and labor, the fruit matured, growing into the Dark Wraith, Bashgal."

"And what happened next?" Michelle asked as she saw the Kai's facial expression change. "What is this Dark Wraith?"

"Bashgal was incalculably powerful, and Dokuyaku wished to use him to control the universe, to bend all mortals to her will and worship her. As a first trial, she unleashed Bashgal against the Kais. None of us were any match for him. Kai after Kai fell against him. In addition to his aforementioned incalculable physical and magical powers, Bashgal had a special talent- he could move in and out of the physical plane at will, thus being able to avoid any physical attack that he detected coming his way by simply allowing it to pass through him, and his power was far more than sufficient to fend off any ethereal, magical maneuver that was used against him. He was an unstoppable colossus that destroyed every other Kai- I was the only survivor."

"Supreme Kai…" Serena began to cry as she saw the expression of hopeless sadness etched on his purple face.

"But then, it was as if a miracle occurred…" He continued.

"It sounds like this Bashgal was much too powerful for Dokuyaku to keep under her control." Piccolo interrupted.

"That's exactly correct, Piccolo." The Kai affirmed. "Throughout the genocide, Bashgal seemed detached- lacking passion for his work, however, his trials made him realize just how much more powerful he was than Dokuyaku, and he simply quit, not caring for what she told him to do. He flew off, and this gave me the chance to strike Dokuyaku down. After that, Bashgal vanished without a trace, and I did my best to rebuild the world of the Kais, cultivating the Kais that you know today, Goku."

"So this Bashgal just vanished?" Goku asked.

"Yes, and for a while, I thought that he may have just been a child of sorts, curious as to who he was and what he was meant to do in the world, however, I was eventually to find that he was pure evil, just like his creator."

"What happened?" Mina asked with wide eyes.

"Though Bashgal was not immortal, he was eternally young and powerful; he would only die if he got killed. He faded into obscurity for a time, but like his creator, he began to experiment himself, constructing his own creations. These were the Numba, the first of which he created out of his mucus."

"EWWWW!" All the Inners sounded, causing grunts and glares from Piccolo, Vegeta, and Amara.

"So those disgusting creatures we've been fighting are descendents of the ones Bashgal created…that's why they're like mucus!"

"Precisely, Sailor Mars." The Supreme Kai answered. "Bashgal created and bred the Numba until they were a numerous and efficient fighting force. All of them had a mental link to Bashgal- even those he did not directly create, and the Dark Wraith could manipulate them in anyway he desired, he could even create spaceships out of their bodies. It was at this point that Bashgal began attacking mortals and attracting followers. He desired, very much like his creator, to be worshipped and to live off of the negative energy- the fear and pain of mortals. Among these followers was Queen Beryl, and this brings me back to the Silver Millennium."

"What happened with the Silver Millennium, Supreme Kai?"

"Bashgal next turned his attention to your mother's kingdom, Princess Serenity. She noticed many strange things happening and called to me for help. The Outer Sailor Scouts were having an increasingly hard time defending the Silver Millennium from the strange creatures and would-be invaders."

This last bit caused Amara, Michelle, and Trista to nearly jump out of their skins.

"I told Queen Serenity everything and insisted that she must prepare the Silver Millennium for war. Wisely, she recalled her cousin, the Duke of Tranquility, who arrived at the Sea of Serenity with his daughter, Hotaru, Princess of Saturn- by this time her mother's consort had died, and so he was now free to have a parental relationship with her, his trusted friend and advisor, Baron Parmenio, who was a confidant of his father's and almost like a second father to the Duke himself, and his good friend, Baron Mordred."

All of the Sailor Scouts visibly cringed at the mention of their enemy.

"Queen Serenity named her cousin the Duke of Tranquility Captain-General of the armies of the Silver Milennium, and he was sent with all due haste to reinforce the Outer Scouts. With his help, the invaders were routed for a time, and his daughter, Sailor Saturn, Duchess of Tranquility began to display just how powerful she truly was. During one of these early battles, the Duke nearly killed Queen Beryl; she was absolutely no match for him, it was only by a twist of fate that she was able to escape."

"Hey! I defeated her too you know!" Serena pouted.

Kibito grimaced, while the Supreme Kai laughed.

"That you did, Princess Serenity, it was unfortunate that she escaped- it might have saved you a lot of trouble. At any rate, with the frontier stabilized, the Duke and his entourage returned to the Moon, but he and Queen Serenity both knew that the conflict was far from over. It was at this point that the Duke, always an aggressive-minded person, suggested that the Silver Millennium go on the offensive, and construct a Galactic Alliance to defeat Bashgal- including the Saiyans."

Vegeta perked his ears up at that last bit, followed by Goku and Gohan.

"Queen Serenity was incredulous that her cousin would even suggest such an idea, but the Duke was adamant. He insisted that the Galactic Alliance would not be successful without the sheer strength of the Saiyans, and he had spent a lot of time with them and was good friends with his contemporary- the Super Saiyan of legend that was later passed down to Frieza, Kabun."

Vegeta's jaw dropped open in shock, followed by Goku and Gohan.

"It was Kabun that taught the Duke the physical fighting style of the Saiyans and how to harness and utilize his ki." The Kai continued to explain. "Kabun, as the strongest warrior, was the most respected member of Saiyan society, even more so than their king, and as the Duke was an immensely powerful warrior himself, he had won the respect of the Saiyans too. Duke Tranquility brought Kabun and King Vegeta back to the Moon, and after careful negotiation, he and Queen Serenity came to an agreement that the Saiyans would take part in the Galactic Alliance, though their forces would remain under separate command, and not follow the Duke's orders. However, since it was Kabun that was their commanding officer, this was no problem. The new alliance began to push Bashgal's Cult back, but it was during these fights that Mordred began to realize just how powerful Bashgal's followers could become."

"I suppose we're about to hear of Mordred's fall."

"Correct, Sailor Uranus." The Supreme Kai went on. "Mordred, as I explained before, was a very good friend of the Duke of Tranquility, but Mordred was always a very competitive person. For instance, he was always peeved at the fact that he would sit to the Duke's left side at the table, rather than the right- that place of honor was reserved for Parmenio. After Hotaru was able to be a significant part of her father's life, it got that much worse, she would always sit to his right at the table, and Parmenio moved to Mordred's spot, thus placing Mordred second-right beside Hotaru."

"Dining customs in the Silver Millennium." Serena stated.

The Supreme Kai nodded. "Even though Mordred cared very much for the Duke, he couldn't help but feel a tremendous amount of jealousy at his friend's- what you Earthlings would call rock star persona. Women adored the Duke and men wanted to be him. Mordred was awestruck that the Duke could be so powerful in all walks of life and, he desired to be his equal. When Mordred saw for instance, that Bashgal could turn an insignificant sorceress such as Beryl into a powerful Dark Queen with praise and followers of her own, he became deeply intrigued. Imagine what he, a Baron and Peer of the Silver Millennium could become, he thought to himself. Meanwhile, with the help of Kabun and the Saiyans, progress was beginning to be made against Bashgal's cult and creatures. However, Mordred's continued observation on the battlefield of the Bashgal Cultists and the amount of power they wielded overwhelmed his senses. Finally, at the Battle of Five Rivers on the planet Chiton, where Mordred and Parmenio were in command of the forces, it happened."

Everyone besides Kibito grimaced, even Vegeta, in anticipation of what came next.

"Mordred called for a retreat of the forces, even though they were holding their own. Parmenio, who was commanding the other wing, rushed over in bewildered rage to find out what Mordred was doing. It was then and there that Mordred revealed himself, and the two fought- but the elderly Parmenio was no match for the much younger Mordred, and in rage, Mordred killed Parmenio with a mace strike to the head- the same mace you Sailor Scouts know so well.

Serena, Michelle, and all of the Inner Scouts began to cry. Goku, Gohan, Krillin, Trista, Amara, and Videl had sad looks on their faces. Piccolo and Vegeta merely narrowed their eyebrows.

"Mordred believed that Bashgal's victory was inevitable, and that the Galactic Alliance could only fight on for so long. He believed that he may as well serve Bashgal so that he may get the power and prestige he had so long desired. Mordred sent a message back to Duke Tranquility and Kabun's headquarters explaining the situation, that he had set up the remaining troops in a defensive position, and that he would be returning to the Silver Milennium to get more reinforcements from Queen Serenity. It was by sheer luck that total catastrophe managed to be avoided."

Everyone furrowed their brows.

"What do you mean, sir?" Gohan asked.

"Kabun informed Duke Tranquility that King Vegeta would be arriving with his own set of reinforcements, and that the Duke should go and gather additional forces with Mordred in the Silver Millennium. He agreed and the two shook hands- it was the last time the two friends would ever see each other."

"What happened after Mordred returned, Supreme Kai?" Serena asked.

"Mordred saw Queen Serenity- but his true plan was to kidnap you, Princess."

Her eyes widened at that, along with all of the other Sailor Scouts.

"And he nearly succeeded too. He told Queen Serenity that the Duke was expecting her at Saturn, and she reluctantly left the Moon. He then called upon the troops of his barony and started an uprising at the Sea of Serenity itself. He broke into your chambers; you were with Prince Darien at the time."

Serena blushed at the thought of her and Darien being alone like that- when her mother was away. _What were we doing?_ She thought with a mischievous smile, and then a deeper blush.

"Mordred explained to you the dire emergency of the rebellion- that Bashgal had Cultists on the Moon and they had staged a rebellion- perhaps even Numba would follow. You were very afraid, Princess Serenity, but Darien knew that something was fishy with Baron Mordred- he was always good at seeing people's motivations."

"That he is!" Serena gushed over the mention of her boyfriend.

Vegeta snorted.

"Prince Darien drew his sword and attempted to defend you, but then, like now, he was no match for Mordred. The Baron threw the Prince aside and dragged you out of your chambers, making his way toward his ship. His plan was to bring you to Bashgal for ransom- that Queen Serenity surrender the forces of the Galactic Alliance, and then turn on the Saiyans, forcing them to surrender as well. Then Bashgal would be worshipped throughout the galaxy. Your Guardians- the Inner Sailor Scouts, were no match for him either. The Outer Scouts were off at the front in the Chiton area. All was going according to plan. Princess Serenity, you were terrified as to where he was taking you, but two things happened that Mordred hadn't counted on."

"What?" Goku asked in a serious tone.

"Hotaru, Sailor Saturn, Princess of the planet Saturn and Duchess of Tranquility stood to defend Serenity. Though she was just a beginner in the Hybrid Fighting Style of her father, not anywhere near as experienced in it as Mordred was, she and the traitor fought a great duel over Princess Serenity. This gave Duke Tranquility and the Queen enough time to return to the scene- they had met and discovered the ruse."

"And what happened?" Mina asked.

"Duke Tranquility was enraged that Mordred would betray him in such a devious way. He congratulated his daughter for putting up such a ferocious and valiant fight, and took over from there. The Duke drew his legendary sword, the Tyrant's Bane- a blade of magnificent power, and proceeded to beat Mordred to a pulp."

The Sailor Scouts all visibly cheered at the story of their fearsome enemy getting what was coming to him.

"It was again, only by sheer luck that Mordred managed to escape the Duke's grasp with his life. The sun came out over the horizon, and shined directly down on the battlefield, unfortunately the Duke was the one facing it. He was temporarily blinded, allowing the beaten and battered Mordred an opportunity to get to his ship and escape. The damage had been done though; Duke Tranquility was enraged and saddened at the loss of his friend, and the news that it was he that had killed Parmenio. Queen Serenity promptly sent the Duke, Hotaru, the Inner Scouts, and their troops to put down Mordred's rebellious barony, and they did so with little effort. However, there was even worse news to come."

Everyone gazed intensely at the Kai as he paused before he continued.

"For all the fear that his name invoked, no one in the Galactic Alliance had actually seen Bashgal- until he decided to personally command the attack at Chiton. Bashgal and his Numba swarmed the planet, completely overwhelming the Saiyan reinforcements. Mordred joined him later, and the Wraith made the very strong newcomer his second. The fallen Baron killed King Vegeta in a duel amidst the carnage, and the Super Saiyan Kabun personally fought the Dark Wraith. Kabun had no idea…what he got himself into. Bashgal flicked the Super Saiyan away like he was a pesky bug. In one fell swoop, over three quarters of the Saiyan Expeditionary Force was annihilated, and it was only by good fortune that Sailors Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus managed to escape Chiton with their lives and some of their forces intact."

Everyone's jaws dropped in shock.

"With their king and their revered warrior, along with the flower of their military destroyed, the Saiyans took a backseat in the Alliance, being much more hesitant with their force deployments- and this is why the mutual guardedness between Saiyans and Lunarians turned into outright disrespect. After that battle, Bashgal and his Cult swarmed across the galaxy like a tidal wave. There needed to be a plan to defeat him, and eventually, a desperate appeal to the Saiyans came up positive. The full extent of the tactical and strategic plan however, was known only to Queen Serenity, Duke Tranquility, and myself."

"What happened?!" Everyone shouted.

"Bashgal made a stop on the small planet of Tros, which was only a light year away from the Silver Millennium of the Solar System. Clearly, Bashgal was building up his swarm to drive a dagger through the heart of the leaders of the Alliance resisting him. With Mordred advising him, it would only be that much easier. It took all of the Duke's military genius to assemble a force to land there in secret, but he managed to pull it off, with some help from me." The Kai explained. "I saw to it that there would be a hazy mist covering the planet while the Duke got into position, it took all of my power to do so. He then attacked, just as I began to lift the mist, in full battle formation. Bashgal was for the first time in his long life, shocked that he was managed to be caught off guard and hastily attempted to assemble his forces into battle formation. With all the fight in them, the Duke's troops and the small Saiyan force managed to break through the enemy lines and into their camp. It was truly chaos in every sense of the word- Bashgal's troops numbered ten million and the Duke's numbered seven. Seventeen million troops all fought along a relatively small plain on that tiny planet. Eventually, Duke Tranquility came upon Bashgal himself."

Everyone stared with intense eyes at the Kai.

"The two champions faced off, and Bashgal was once again surprised that the Duke was so strong, but the Dark Wraith took the upper hand. After an hour or so of intense battling, the Duke realized he had no choice. He opened a black hole, and using every ounce of both physical and ethereal power in his body, and then his very soul, charged up the Tyrant's Bane and stabbed Bashgal in the heart, piercing his veil of transparency and running his blade through to the hilt. And with all the strength left in his body, the Duke kicked the Dark Wraith into the black hole he had opened, sending Bashgal spiraling into the Abyssal Void, and quickly sealed it up again. Bashgal was gone, and the Numba on the battlefield all instantly exploded, spewing their contents and innards all over the field."

"EWWWW!" The Inners all said again.

"The remaining Cultists were then rounded up and defeated. However, the Duke of Tranquility paid a terrible price for his heroism. In summoning his deepest power to attack Bashgal, he had not only drained his life energy, but his soul as well. The Tyrant's Bane shattered from the pressure, sending its pieces flying off into space, and the Duke fell to the ground of Tros dead, and then his soul vanished. Duke Tranquility, the mysterious man who Queen Serenity never fully trusted, not only sacrificed his life so that mortality could flourish in a common market that he so fervently desired, but his very existence as well. Unlike you Goku, he did not have a peaceful afterlife, his soul merely faded away from existence altogether."

Everyone's faces drooped in sadness and respect for the hero- even Vegeta.

"The price for victory was truly terrible, over three million Galactic Alliance troops were killed, a million by Bashgal alone, and unfortunately, Bashgal sent a guerilla force led by Queen Beryl to attack the Moon, which was unable to defend against her- as the vast majority of its troops were at Tros with the Duke. The destruction of the Moon Kingdom and death of Queen Serenity was also a price that needed to be paid for victory. Sailor Saturn, Hotaru, decided to honor her father's example and destroy Beryl's remnants in the kingdom at the cost of her life, allowing a new world- and her, to be reborn. Indeed, Beryl's victory truly meant nothing- without her Lord she was a nobody, and so I did not think she would be anything more than a nuisance to the universe, and that she would meet her end sooner or later. I was right in that presumption. The universe was at last safe from Bashgal…or so I thought."

"What was wrong?" Amara nearly shouted.

"I was so foolish to not be more careful! First of all, Mordred survived the Battle of Tros. He was beaten badly, but again managed to escape. He also found, by some deviant miracle, that a few of the Numba had also survived. Mordred, now the master of Bashgal's Cult, withdrew, and bred the Numba to be more numerous. Fortunately, without their creator, they are much weaker than they were before. In the shadows, Mordred bid his time, attracting followers with the promise of power that so seduced him into betraying his friend and following Bashgal in the first place. Part of being the Wraith's lieutenant meant that he too would have eternal life, though like Bashgal, not immortality- he can be killed, but not by age or disease. He continued to slowly grow in strength until now. Five years after Cell's defeat, he sent Queen Beryl to Earth, and your reawakened life began, Sailor Scouts."

"So what does he want?" Serena asked, her eyes hard.

"He wants nothing less than to revive his Lord Bashgal, and create another horde of the Cult of Darkness. He wants to be the universal high priest in the religion of Bashgal, to have the power and prestige that being Bashgal's chief lieutenant had given him before. That is his goal, and he has been gathering energy to strengthen the Numba, and the emotional fear and pain that it's caused to try to release Bashgal from the Abyssal Void that Duke Tranquility sent him to. If he succeeds, it will surely mean the end of the universe- all mortality to be enslaved, forever living in fear, and in that fear, worshipping Bashgal. Z Fighters, Sailor Scouts." He turned to everyone. "WE MUST STOP HIM!"

Everyone's eyes hardened as they heard of Mordred's goal, and focused straight ahead- in the direction of those they were following.

"Look, they are slowing down!" Kibito pointed.

"We must be approaching their hideout." Piccolo stated.

"Mordred's lair…" Trista trailed, wondering what it truly looked like.

"Everyone, slow down." The Supreme Kai ordered.

"Hey!" Amara turned to Videl, who widened her eyes in question. "Get out of here right now!"

"What?! Why?!" She asked, angry that she was being ordered around.

"You'll only get in our way!"

Videl's face turned red in anger. Michelle closed her eyes and rubbed them with her fingers. While right, she wished that her lover could improve on politeness in getting her points across.

"You better listen to her, Videl." Gohan said, getting her curious attention. "I have a real bad feeling it's gonna be one of those days." He frowned.

"Yes, I'm inclined to agree." The Supreme Kai put forth. "Where we're going will be extremely dangerous, and I cannot allow any innocent people to get hurt."

"But…I want to help!" Videl weakly objected.

"And you can help." Kibito answered. His black eyes crashed into Videl's light blue. "Go back, tell their friends and family what's happening out here, get them prepared should anything happen."

Videl nodded. "Ok…good luck everyone…I'm glad I found out the truth about you all, thank you. Gohan…go be a hero again!" She smiled. "You took down Cell; I know you can take these guys out too!"

Gohan smiled and nodded at her, while Mina and Rei glared, showing fangs. Videl smiled as she watched them all move forward, and then she turned back, flying back toward where the tournament was.

Quietly, the fifteen people landed, ducking behind rock cover. They saw Antares and the Four Sprite Sisters below, together with a few familiar figures, and a debonair-looking man in the center. All of the Sailor Scouts gasped in shock at who they saw.


	9. Into the Lair

"Rubeus…and Nehellenia!" Lita gasped.

"Master Zirconia!" Ami pointed.

"How…can this be…?" Michelle trailed. "That's Mistress 9!"

"Damn, and I thought I had long hair when I was a kid." Gohan muttered as he looked at the woman in question.

"And the Witches Five!" Amara said.

"But how did they all come back?!" Rei fumed.

"Hah! Those are the fearsome warriors of Bashgal's Cult?!" Vegeta laughed mockingly.

"Don't underestimate them! All of them are extremely dangerous!" Serena insisted.

"Supreme Kai, how are they still here?!" Mina asked.

"As I've told you, Mordred's magical abilities are immense, and he managed to save Rubeus and the Witches before they met what looked to be their ends. With Mistress 9, Mordred preserved her life force in another seed, this time constructing his own body for it to be planted in. Nehellenia and Zirconia were simply brought out of their seal- it was nothing for Mordred to break, and she was restored to the beauty she was promised if she followed Bashgal."

"And who's that guy in the center?!" Vegeta mocked. "Oh, I'm so terrified of that pretty boy!"

"Yeah…he's a real hunk." Mina said, and all the Inners, bar Mercury gazed at him with hearts in their eyes.

"That is Mordred himself." The Supreme Kai said, causing all of the swooning girls to backtrack in embarrassment. "And he is by far the most dangerous of them all." He narrowed his eyes.

* * *

"Master Mordred, I hope you were able to attain the energy." Antares greeted.

"Yes. Good job all of you."

"Now Lord Bashgal is that much closer to being freed." Nehellenia giggled.

"The Numba found the energy especially comforting." Mistress 9 smirked.

"Yes, a job well done Antares and crew. Unfortunately, you weren't so discreet about getting back here undetected…it appears you've been followed."

"We have some company?" Eugeal asked curiously.

"Yes, those Sailor Brats you all seem to have had so much trouble with in the past." Mordred smirked. "And it looks like they've brought some reinforcements."

"Are there any cute guys among those reinforcements?" Mimet asked with a blush.

"Shut up Mimet!" Mordred erupted, causing her to backtrack in fear.

"Master, what shall we do?" Antares asked.

Mordred closed his eyes and felt the surroundings for a moment. "Perfect, all of the Scouts and no Saturn- I'd rather she didn't die."

Mistress 9 huffed. "If you ask me, she should be the first to go!"

"You're only saying that because of the misfortune you suffered by being implanted in her body in the past." Mordred countered, causing the entity to sneer, but quickly backtrack at Mordred's glare.

"Well…what should we do with them?" Zirconia asked.

"What you all should have done a long time ago- terminate them, and their pathetic little reinforcements."

"With pleasure sir!" Cyprine bowed.

"Rubeus, do invite them in."

"Sir!" The ruby-haired man bowed his head.

* * *

"They're going inside!" Krillin peered.

"With every ounce of energy they gather, they make the Numba stronger, and with every bit of fear and pain they induce, they get that much closer to freeing Bashgal!" Kibito frowned.

"Yes, and once they breed them to be of sufficient quality, I fear they may have a strong enough force to form a true Numba army- then they will be able to extract fear and pain on an industrial scale!" The Supreme Kai grimaced.

"We cannot let that happen!" Serena declared, hardening her deep blue eyes.

"What are we doing cowering behind these rocks then?!" Vegeta huffed.

"Look- they left the door open." Piccolo observed. "It looks like they're expecting us."

"Let's not keep them waiting!" Vegeta stated. "I'll take all of them on myself if you don't have the stomach for it!"

"You are the most arrogant man I've ever met in my life!" Amara huffed.

"That's an understatement Amara, he's the most arrogant man in history!" Rei glared at him, which only caused his smirk to widen.

"That's been the general consensus among all of us." Krillin agreed.

"Well?! Let's go already!"

"Wait!" Serena objected. "You don't really mean to just walk right in their front door?!"

"It's obviously a trap!" Ami agreed.

"Yes, we must come up with a plan!" The Supreme Kai gritted.

"We've fought them all before, you have no idea what they're capable of!" Serena looked up into Vegeta's hard black eyes with her pleading sapphire ones.

His smirk grew even wider. "Well, let's find out then, shall we?"

All of the Sailor Scouts, the Supreme Kai, and Kibito gasped when Vegeta took off, floating down the cliff and moving toward the open door.

"Sounds good to me!" Goku muttered, quickly following.

Gohan looked at the girls and shrugged his shoulders, moving to join his father.

"I had a bad feeling about this! Those damn Saiyans, they're too full of themselves to think straight!" Amara huffed.

"They're itching for a fight! It's what Saiyans do!" Michelle muttered in concern.

"What do we do now?" Lita asked.

"There's no other option. We have to join them. This is the course of action that's in front of us. We have no choice but to stop Mordred, so we all need to work together. Don't worry, I've fought beside Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta for years and seen them all pull off the impossible time and time again. It is very well that they're in our camp."

"You can say that again, Piccolo!" Krillin agreed.

"…Alright, Piccolo." Amara said with wide eyes.

"If you say so." Michelle seconded.

"Don't worry, Serena, with all of us working together, we can do anything!" Trista smiled at the worried girl.

"All of us…together." Serena smiled warmly with sparkling eyes.

"Let's go." Piccolo beckoned and took off with Krillin, followed by the Outers.

"Hey! Wait!" Serena babbled.

The five people stared with bewildered eyes at the babbling Inner Scouts.

"Well, this poses a problem." Michelle giggled. "Each of us carries one."

Piccolo grunted in annoyance at the thought of carrying a girl. He grimace grew as he picked Ami off of the ground and carried her under his arm, he turned his head and frowned at Michelle's laughter.

"What are you laughing at?" He grunted.

"You." The turquoise-haired woman laughed more as she picked up Rei.

Amara and Trista both began to catch the contagious laughter, annoying the Namek further.

"Humans." He muttered under an annoyed breath.

The Supreme Kai and Kibito stared in shock as they saw all of them take off.

"Far too cavalier." Kibito frowned. "I don't like this."

"Me either, but we must go forward nevertheless." The Supreme Kai said as he hardened his eyes.

* * *

"Here they come." Mordred smirked as he watched them all enter the lair. He sat in his chair, a magic screen showing what was going on hung over the large doorway. He was surrounded by his followers.

"Like bugs to a bug zapper!" Mimet shouted in glee.

"Time to die, Sailor brats and friends!" Viluy gushed.

"Rubeus, roll out the welcome wagon." Mordred ordered.

* * *

The fifteen warriors walked past the huge double emerald doors leading to the building embedded in the cliff. The Inner Scouts looked up in awe as they passed by the at least fifty-foot-high set of doors. They saw that the tiles comprising the floor beyond them were just a bit lighter than pitch black. As soon as they all entered the doors slammed shut with an audible thud, startling the Inner Scouts, and making the room that much darker.

"Welcome, fools!" A voice boomed.

All of the Sailor Scouts, the Supreme Kai, and Kibito's faces grimaced as a ruby-haired man dressed in a brown vest and green pants with a black upside down crescent moon on his head appeared in the darkness.

"You've all walked right into our little trap." He sneered. "Now there are only three ways to escape this place: Master Mordred letting you out, you by some impossible feat kill Master Mordred, or your own death. One and two won't be happening." His sneer grew.

"Hah!" Vegeta mocked, and then formed an energy blast in his hands.

"Vegeta, wait!" The Supreme Kai shouted, but to no avail, as Vegeta threw the yellow ball at the doors.

The ball bounced harmlessly off them, then began to ricochet off the walls like a tennis ball. The Inner Scouts all flailed their arms in fear and jumped to avoid the shot, while the Outers, Z Fighters, and Kais simply gritted their teeth and jumped to avoid the blast. Goku ended the affair by shooting the blast with one of his own, destroying it in a yellow explosion.

Rubeus laughed as the smoke cleared. "The doors are magically sealed, only Master Mordred can break it!" He laughed louder.

"You idiot! Do you want to get us all killed?!" Amara hissed at Vegeta, who merely crossed his arms and frowned.

"Where's Mordred?!" Lita glared at Rubeus.

He laughed. "He is in the throne room, but you needn't concern yourselves. You won't get the pleasure of having him kick your asses again, because you won't get past me!"

The Sailor Scouts and Kais all glared, Vegeta looked at him with a dismissive stare, Piccolo and Krillin gave him guarded glances, and Goku and Gohan looked curiously.

"…Ok!" Goku laughed and smiled. He turned to the gathered group. "So which one of us gets to fight first?!" He asked in excitement.

"Huh?" Rubeus' smirk drooped into a confused expression.

All of the Sailor Scouts along with Rubeus sweat dropped as Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta prepared to play Rock Paper Scissors. The Kais tightened their jaws while Krillin and Piccolo showed no surprise whatsoever.

"Hey, don't you guys want to join in?" Gohan asked with curious eyes.

"Uhh…you've got it handled, Gohan…" Mina muttered in bewilderment. The other Inner Scouts gave a quick series of nods.

"Ok, suit yourself." Gohan muttered back and made ready to play.

"One, two, three!" All three said at once.

Rubeus' sweat drop grew.

"One…two…THREE!"

"One…two…three!"

Everyone had dumbfounded looks on their faces besides Krillin and Piccolo.

"One…two, three!"

"One, two, three!"

"One, two, three!"

"Hahhahah!" Vegeta laughed in triumph. "Scissors win!"

"Awww, I wanted to fight this guy!" Goku moped.

"Well, sorry, you won't get your chance!" Vegeta answered.

"Wait, please! You don't really intend to fight him by yourself do you?!" The Supreme Kai strongly objected.

"Of course I do, what other way is there?!" Vegeta crossed his arms.

Rubeus returned to his laugh.

"Wait! Vegeta!" Amara objected. "Think this through! This is foolhardy; we all need to work together!"

"SHUT UP!" Vegeta shouted, causing even the hard-headed Amara to backtrack from the sheerness of his voice, and then grit her teeth in anger.

"There's no use in trying Amara, he's a pigheaded jerk!" Rei sneered.

"Fine, if that's the way you want it, moron!" Rubeus said in excitement.

Vegeta smirked dismissively. "The only moron around here is Mordred! He obviously hasn't investigated this planet very thoroughly. He thinks these Sailor brats you've been dealing with are its primary line of defense, when in actuality the most powerful fighter alive is standing right in front of you!"

"You, the most powerful fighter alive?!" Rubeus mocked. "I will enjoy very much beating the life out of you! Every time I cause you pain your energy will be absorbed by the Sprite Sisters, and channeled to make our Numba stronger. And your negative emotions in association with the beating I'm about to give you will be channeled to help free Lord Bashgal from the Abyssal Void!"

"Well, that's too bad for you. Since you won't be able to hurt me, you won't be able to get any of that accomplished!"

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this! It's been too long since I've had the chance to pound weakling humans!" He laughed loudly.

Vegeta frowned. "This guy is really annoying." He dematerialized and reappeared in front of Rubeus, getting into a fighting stance. "Welcome to the end of your life, and I promise it's going to hurt!" He grinned.

Rubeus grinned back.

"That fool!" Amara hissed. "He's doing exactly what Mordred wants! We all need to work together, not show off!"

"Vegeta…" Serena's eyes watered in concern.

"Aww, don't worry." Goku walked up to reassure them. He put a hand on Serena's shoulder. "Vegeta can handle this guy no problem!"

Serena looked up at Goku with saddened eyes, and then turned back to the scene. Amara merely shifted her gaze in a 'let's see him put his money where his mouth is' way.

The Sailor Scouts, minus Amara and Rei looked on in frustrated concern for Vegeta, along with the Kais. Piccolo and Krillin looked upon the scene curiously. Goku and Gohan however, smiled in total confidence.

"I think you'll find that Master Mordred's training has helped me attain even greater strength!" Rubeus bellowed confidently. He then shot a blast of black ball lightning at Vegeta, but the Saiyan easily avoided it by dematerializing.

"What?!" Rubeus involuntarily barked.

"Looking for me?!"

He turned his head to see Vegeta standing two feet away to his right. Rubeus gritted his teeth and shot another blast of the ball lightning- point blank. Vegeta again avoided it by jumping, floating toward the ceiling. Rubeus smirked and vanished, reappearing in front of Vegeta. He threw a kick, which was easily blocked.

"Huh?!" Rubeus sweat dropped, and then felt a tremendous force impacting his left cheek.

Vegeta's expression hadn't changed at all. He floated up higher and landed a kick straight to Rubeus' face. The ruby-haired alien gave a coughing scream of pain as he plummeted to the ground, the crown of his skull crashing into the wall.

Goku and Gohan's smiles grew as the Sailor Scouts gasped in gape-mouthed shock. The Kais widened their eyes. Piccolo and Krillin merely smirked and narrowed their eyes.

Vegeta floated back down to the ground and sauntered his way toward Rubeus, who struggled to get back to his feet, still coughing in pain. He met Vegeta's hard eyes in shock. Rubeus moved to punch Vegeta, who easily dodged it and countered with a straight punch to his enemy's gut, sending Rubeus crashing into the far wall. Rubeus again struggled to his feet and gritted his teeth, his lip bleeding.

"RAAA!" He roared in frustrated anger and disappeared, reappearing right in front of Vegeta's face. Vegeta didn't even flinch. Rubeus gritted his teeth and released two blasts of black ball lightning from either hand, but Vegeta dodged them both in a flash without even moving his body. He threw a combination of punches, kicks, and blasts, all of which Vegeta easily dodged. "Huh?!" His face began to show fear now. Vegeta dematerialized and rematerialized behind the alien. "What?!"

Vegeta's expression still hadn't changed. He threw a right hook, slamming Rubeus' left cheek again and sending him crashing to the floor, bouncing twice before reaching rest right in front of Sailor Moon's feet.

Rubeus struggled to open his eyes, coming face to face with concerned sapphire blues.

"Rubeus…you don't need to do this…"

"Sailor Moon…" He was shocked that she would show such concern for an enemy.

The moment was interrupted by Piccolo's booming voice.

"VEGETA! QUIT BEATING AROUND THE BUSH, FINISH HIM OFF, NOW!"

Serena gasped and looked at the Namek, buckling at the fierceness in his voice.

"Do it, Vegeta!" Gohan agreed, remembering his battle with Cell- and the consequences of toying with his enemy.

Rubeus smirked and got to his feet, disappearing and then reappearing in the center of the room. Looking at Sailor Moon made him remember his trump card.

The room began to change, becoming a green chamber. Rubeus emerged surrounded by crystals. He made motions with his hands, and then suddenly the girls screamed and collapsed to the ground, gritting their teeth at the pain. Vegeta only looked with a dismissive frown.

"Is this room familiar to you, Sailor Scouts?" Rubeus bellowed. "I think you'll notice that the gravitational force is even stronger now! Ten times normal gravity!" He laughed louder, then noticed that their reinforcements- and his opponent, all stood upright with no problem.

Vegeta bellowed even louder than Rubeus, causing the alien to stop his own. "Ten times gravity?! HAHAHAHAHA! Maybe if this room was five hundred times Earth gravity you might have an advantage! But ten, hah! _I don't even feel it!_"

"Vegeta…" Trista trailed in pain as she felt the weight crushing her to the floor.

"You're bluffing!" Rubeus declared and shot a flurry of black ball lightning at Vegeta, who to his astonishment dodged all the shots like child's play.

Rubeus' face lit up in shock and fear as Vegeta dematerialized, reappearing right in front of him. He instinctively leaned back, and in a flash, Vegeta pounded him with a bone crunching uppercut, breaking Rubeus' jaw and nearly taking his head off. The Prince of All Saiyans quickly followed with a roundhouse kick to the gut that sent his opponent crashing into the ceiling, then falling to the floor under the high gravity. He coughed up blood and struggled to push himself up, only finding a smirking Vegeta.

"Still think I'm bluffing?!" He cockily asked.

Vegeta immediately took off into the air. He held out his palm and a big blue ball began to form in it, and the Saiyan bellowed in its shine. Rubeus' eyes were filled with nothing but the glare and he cowered in fear.

"HAPPY DEATH DAY!" Vegeta yelled. "TAKE THIS AS A GIFT FROM ME TO YOU, TO SEND YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY TO HELL!"

He shot the blue bullet, sending it plowing into the ground and Rubeus.

"AHHHH!" He screamed as he felt every part of his body being vaporized.

Everyone else covered their eyes to shield them from the massive blue explosion that collided off all the walls in the room. The Sailor Scouts opened their eyes and gasped as the dust cleared, Rubeus was gone, and the room was back to normal, they could stand up again. As they began to get back on their feet, they heard a familiar booming voice.

"Hah! I'm amazed that Mordred would send us such a weakling!" Vegeta sneered as he floated back down to the ground.

"All right Vegeta!" Goku and Gohan cheered.

Everyone was silent as the door opened, leading to the next hallway.

"Gee, I wonder who they'll send next?!" Goku said excitedly, itching for action of his own.

"Well, let's find out!" Gohan answered his father.

The two ran through the door and into the next room.

"Children, so easily amused!" Vegeta muttered sarcastically and calmly followed them, his arms crossed.

The Sailor Scouts still stood there in gape-mouthed shock, even the Outers. The Kais were even wide-eyed.

"Amara…I think you should take some etiquette classes when this is all over." Her lover suggested. "You really need to learn to control your speech…"

"Uhhh…yeah…" She trailed, still in shock.

"Let's go." Piccolo broke their trance and they followed the Namek as he and Krillin began to walk toward the next room.

Lita smiled. "Hey, let's be nicer to them! With their help, this should be a cake walk!" She declared in amazement at what she just saw.

"Right…" Rei trailed.

Sailor Moon only walked into the next room with a saddened expression. She hated to see such violence.

* * *

"I don't believe it!" Eugeal said in shock. "That guy killed Rubeus like he was nothing!"

"That's because he was nothing." Antares sneered. "He always was a weakling!"

"Yes, but it appears that these reinforcements of theirs are stronger than I gave them credit for…" Mordred examined. He then widened his eyes in surprise.

"What is it, Master?" Chimera asked.

"The Supreme Kai, he's here."

This caused his followers to look upon him in shock.

"How do you know?" Medusa questioned.

"I've never seen him, but his appearance was described to me by the Duke and Queen Serenity. That's him, I know it." He pointed. "He must be behind these reinforcements the Sailor brats have."

"What now then?"

Mordred looked at Scylla. "Let's see." He turned his attention to the screen. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen." He counted. "Let's separate them, shall we? Three groups of five. We'll put them in separate dimensional mazes, and challenge each of them to make their way here."

"Good idea, Master." Charybdis complimented.

Mordred turned his attention to all of those that had failed him in the past.

"Consider this your second chance. I'm giving you one last try to do what you all should have done before. Do not fail me again."

"Yes, Master." They all said and bowed their heads at once.

* * *

"Just how long is this hallway anyway?" Goku asked.

"I'm hungry!"

"Stop complaining Serena!" Rei sneered. "You ate an entire buffet at the tournament!"

Serena moped and narrowed her eyes.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake.

"It feels like an earthquake!" Gohan shouted as the Inner Scouts screeched.

"I don't think this area is over a fault line." Ami stated as she analyzed with her computer.

The ground shook, throwing everyone haphazardly into three separate piles. As the ground stopped shaking, glass-like walls formed in the room, separating the three groups.

"What happened?" Mina asked.

"Supreme Kai!" Mordred's voice sounded throughout the room. The purple being grimaced as he got to his feet. "Oh yes, I know who you are and what you are trying to do, but you will fail. Lord Bashgal waits for no one! You will not stop me!"

"Guys!" Serena shouted and pounded her fists on the wall.

"It's no use, Sailor Moon!" Mordred's voice bellowed. "You are now separated from your friends! The only way to reunite is to pass through to me!"

"Bastard." Amara muttered under her breath. She took a look at who was with who.

She, Michelle, and Trista were with Piccolo and Krillin. The Inners, minus Sailor Moon were with Kibito, and Sailor Moon was with the Saiyans and Supreme Kai. Secretly, Amara was very thankful that the princess was grouped with what obviously were the strongest warriors in their party- she would be protected that way, especially under the watchful eyes of the Supreme Kai.

"These walls are truly impenetrable." Ami stated as she was still doing analysis with her computer. "We have to follow the path they set for us."

"There appears to be no choice." Piccolo stated. "We'll have to play the current hand, and regroup later."

"Alright." Goku said. "Mordred will probably send more enemies to us along the way. So everyone be on your guard."

They all nodded.

"Goku, please keep our princess safe." Trista asked. "Piccolo trusts you with his life, so I trust you with hers. Please, you must protect her, don't disappoint us."

Goku smiled and gave a thumbs up.

"Good luck Gohan! I'll see you soon!" Mina blew another kiss, causing the half-Saiyan to widen his eyes in embarrassment.

"Let's get going, everyone." The Supreme Kai ordered calmly. "Kibito, watch over them."

His assistant nodded and the three groups began to walk along their walls, entering the dimensional mazes that Mordred had set up.

* * *

"Go now." Mordred ordered to his followers. "Do not disappoint me."

All of his followers nodded and proceeded to their assigned posts. Mordred got up from his chair and poured himself some wine, turning his head to look up the carpeted stairway beside it. The stairway lead to a magnificent throne which overlooked the entire room.

"My Lord, I promise, you shall be freed soon." His voice echoed throughout the empty room.


	10. Mordred's Mazes

"Well, Mordred could have picked a less cheery place to send us…" Rei observed.

The four Inners and Kibito walked along a field of flowers in full bloom. It looked to be a late spring day with a cloudless sky. The girls all looked around the place with large smiles on their faces.

"I wonder what flower would be best for Gohan…" Mina wondered as she looked around.

"You go mess around with your flowers; I think he'll take a deliciously cooked meal over them any day!" Lita grinned confidently.

Lita and Mina quickly sneered and growled at each other.

"Girls!" Kibito's firm voice halted them, causing them to widen their eyes and haphazardly turn toward the pinkish Kai. "We must continue on, I do not have time for your moronic teenage drama!" He nearly seethed.

"Hey, I'll let you know that Gohan is a major hunkasaurus!" Mina objected. "And I won't stand for you dismissing my claim!"

Kibito's widened his own black eyes at the determined look on the girl's face.

"You Sailor brats are truly a bunch of morons!" A cackling voice sounded in the distance.

All five narrowed their eyes at the appearance of a familiar figure. Eugeal's red hair blew in the breeze that sent flowers swirling around her.

"Eugeal! So, being beaten once wasn't enough!" Sailor Mars seethed.

"I'll never get tired of hurting you little brats! You fools, you come here thinking you can beat Master Mordred, when he's bitch slapped you time and time again?!" She said haughtily. "Well, he's got no time for you weaklings anymore! You will all fail, and Lord Bashgal will take his rightful place of universal worship. Your new allies won't save you!" She laughed some more.

The Sailor Scouts began to sneer, Kibito only narrowed his eyes.

Eugeal took out her flamethrower and smirked as she pointed it at her enemies. The Sailor Scouts gasped as she fired a huge wall of flame at them, they haphazardly ran away while Kibito took off in the air and landed at a safe distance.

"You see, Master Mordred has upgraded it!" She laughed.

"MARS CELESTIAL FIRE SURROUND!" Sailor Mars yelled, sending the burning hoops of flame toward Eugeal.

The witch cackled and fired her weapon, producing an even large flame and sending it back at the Scouts, who danced around the flames, hoping their feet wouldn't get singed.

"I guess you girls really don't learn!" She laughed even louder. "We have a word for that…it's known as STUPID!"

"Supreme Thunder!" Sailor Jupiter yelled in an enraged tone and sent sparks of electricity from her tiara toward Eugeal.

"Whoa!" The witch stopped laughing and jumped to dodge the attack. She widened her eyes as Kibito materialized out of thin air right in front of her face. The Kai punched her in the face, sending her flying toward the ground, but the witch was able to land on her feet. She grimaced and fired her gun at Kibito, who dematerialized, avoiding the flames.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" Sailor Mercury shouted, releasing a wave of water toward Eugeal.

"Ack!" She coughed, realizing that that particular attack was new; she just narrowly missed being smacked by the wave.

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!" Sailor Jupiter yelled and launched her charged oak leaves.

"Ooh! Ow!" Eugeal shouted as she tried her best to dodge the flurry of leaves. She gritted her teeth and fired her flamethrower at Sailor Jupiter, who responded by dodging and rushed forward, planting a punch square in the witch's jaw, staggering her.

Kibito rushed toward her, but Eugeal recovered and brought out her other weapon. She fired it and Kibito's eyes widened as he felt like his chest was being ripped apart. The Kai dropped to the ground as a red shining crystal bulleted out of his chest and made its way into Eugeal's hands.

"KIBITO!" All four of his companions shouted as he thudded to the ground.

Eugeal laughed. "The pure heart of a Kai! Master Mordred will be pleased to utilize an artifact of this caliber!"

The four Inner Sailor Scouts gritted their teeth in anger, wondering what their next move would be. Kibito's eyes were dead wide, the sounds only distant echoes in his ears.

* * *

"Oh…another flight of stairs!" Serena moped. "Mordred is such a monster!" She began to cry.

"OH SHUT UP!" Vegeta yelled as they climbed yet another flight. "You truly exemplify Lunarian weakness, no wonder you're the heir to their throne!" He spat.

"They're just stairs, Serena." Gohan stated. "If you're tired from this, you really need to start training harder."

"Yeah, there's no room for laziness when it comes to saving the Earth!" Goku said.

Serena began to sniffle. "They're so mean…" She muttered to the Supreme Kai.

"Oh Princess Serenity, they're not mean." He whispered. "Their standards are just very high. When you've saved the world since you were a boy, like Goku and Gohan both have, you really push yourself to the limit and expect your companions to do the same. Vegeta certainly has a chip on his shoulder though."

Vegeta looked back and narrowed his eyes at the last comment. As the five of them finally reached the top landing, a voice cackled.

"It's so nice to see you again, Sailor Moon!"

"Cyprine!" Sailor Moon gasped as the blue-haired woman appeared.

"Thought you'd gotten rid of me did you?" Another form appeared, this time with red hair.

"Huh, me?" Goku scratched his head. "Don't you mean us?"

"No, I mean me!" Both shouted at once.

"But…there's two of you." Goku's eyes retained their curious gaze. "One…" Goku began to count.

"I KNOW THERE'S TWO BODIES!" They both hissed, annoyed. "But we share one mind." The red-haired one, Ptilol said. "Oh, how I shall enjoy beating you all to a pulp and sucking you dry of energy!" They both laughed. "Not to mention, relishing in your fear and pain! Soon, Lord Bashgal will be freed! Hahaha!"

Sailor Moon and the Supreme Kai gave guarded frowns, while Vegeta gave an irritated one. Goku and Gohan looked on in curiosity.

"All right Gohan!" Goku cheered his son. "This one's all yours!"

"Yes!" Gohan nodded and stepped forward with a smirk on his face, getting ready to fight.

The two figures laughed as they got ready. "I won't underestimate you the way Rubeus did. Master Mordred tells me that you new allies of Sailor Moon are stronger than he gave you credit for, but you'll still lose!"

"Bring it!" Gohan smirked.

Both figures shot blue and red beams of magical energy at Gohan, respectively, but the young Saiyan dodged by dematerializing. He reappeared in front of Cyprine, but Ptilol sent a red ball of energy at him, which Gohan again dodged. He landed on his feet and took another fighting stance.

"Do you want some help, Gohan?" Serena asked with her hands clasped.

"No thanks, Sailor Moon." He smirked without turning to make eye contact. "I've got this." He frowned and formed a yellow blast of energy and sent it toward the back-to-back two in one duo. Gohan widened his eyes in surprise as they joined their canes together and absorbed his blast.

"My my, what lovely energy, Ptilol."

"Yes, and I'm sure he'd like it back with a little twist!"

They grinned and sent a ball mixed with yellow, blue, and red back toward Gohan. The young half-Saiyan smirked and watched as it hit the ground, exploding with a brilliant flash and smoldering into black smoke.

"Gohan!" Sailor Moon shouted in concern.

"Hahahaha!" The one witch with two bodies laughed. "What a loser he was, huh Cyprine?!" Their facial expressions turned to curiosity once the smoke cleared, as they saw Sailor Moon and the Supreme Kai with the same guarded expressions, but the other two looking somewhere else, one with a smile and one with a frown. "Huh…?" They trailed.

"Ptilol, watch it!" Cyprine screeched.

Gohan appeared out of nowhere and connected with a strong right hook to the witch, sending her careering to the floor. Cyprine gasped as Gohan rushed toward her, dematerializing and reappearing behind her. She turned and sent a blue blast toward Gohan, but the half-Saiyan easily dodged it and rushed toward her, connecting his boot with her abdomen.

"Uhgrr…" She gurgled, never feeling this much pain before. Blood and saliva dropped out of her mouth.

Gohan grimaced and punched her straight on the forehead, sending her crashing to the floor, hitting her 'other half' in the process.

"MASENKO HA!" He yelled, bringing his right hand over his head, supported by his left and down again, shooting a large yellow beam of energy at the 'witch.'

"Aaahhh!" Both shouted at once as the yellow beam vaporized them and left a tremendous explosion.

"Yeah! Way to go Gohan!" Goku cheered as Gohan floated back down to the ground.

Gohan struck some poses as the dead end grey stone wall revealed a door that opened.

"All right! I wonder who they're gonna get to fight me?!" Goku asked excitedly as he ran through the door. Gohan and Vegeta quickly followed.

"Well…that…was…easy…" Serena trailed at the ease in which Gohan had defeated Cyprine, remembering her and her team's encounter with her.

"It's strange…these Saiyans appear to be stronger than even I expected them to be!" The Supreme Kai said in shock.

Sailor Moon widened her eyes. "Does this mean we're all right?"

The Supreme Kai narrowed his eyes. "No. They may be strong, but so was the Super Saiyan Kabun, and he was still no match for Bashgal, and Mordred killed King Vegeta, this Vegeta's ancestor. Mordred could only have gotten stronger after all this time. Indeed, they are an incredible help to us, but I fear their overconfidence may be their downfall."

The purple being then made way to follow the Saiyans, entering the darkness beyond the door. Sailor Moon showed worry in her eyes again and ran after her new companions.

* * *

"Kibito! Answer me!"

"Kibito!"

Sailors Venus and Mercury said worriedly as they cradled their new friend, trying to help him.

"Mercury, Venus, there's only one way we can save him, and you know what that is!" Sailor Mars declared with hard eyes.

All four nodded and narrowed their gazes at Eugeal.

"You four brats should just give up!" Eugeal bellowed.

"Never!" Sailor Mars retorted. "If there's one thing the Sailor Scouts are experts at, it's sticking by our friends!"

"Hmph!" Eugeal sounded.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" Sailor Mercury shouted, sending the waves of water back at their antagonist.

"Whoa!" Eugeal shouted, again trying to avoid the waves.

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

"Argh!" She shouted in frustration, trying to now avoid both attacks.

"Venus Love Chain Encircle!"

Eugeal gasped as she felt herself being harnessed by Sailor Venus' golden chain, and dragged sharply to the ground,

"Ok you bitch." Sailor Mars sneered. "You love fire so much, but let's see how you like this! MARS FLAME…" She shouted, bringing out her ethereal bow.

"No! No!" Eugeal gasped and struggled to break free of her chain, but Sailor Venus only held on tighter.

"SNIPER!" Mars released her flaming arrow, directly hitting Eugeal's chest.

"NOOOO!" The witch shouted as she was consumed by the flames. She cried in agony as she was burned to ashes, leaving only Kibito's heart crystal behind.

The four girls smiled and nodded at each other as Sailor Mars held the crystal and sent it back to Kibito. The Kai stirred a second after the crystal went back inside his chest. He opened his eyes and blurred images of his new companions appeared, followed by their crisp forms a few seconds later. He stood up with a smile on his face.

"You girls are something." He smirked.

The four girls all smiled at him, but the friendly moment was interrupted by a door appearing and opening.

"It looks like we've gotten through to the next phase." Kibito narrowed his eyes. "Come."

He was the first to walk through the door, followed by the others.

* * *

"What beautiful scenery." Krillin noted as he and his companions walked through an open field with a smattering of trees. "Looks just like the area around Goku's house." He sighed when no one responded. "Of course, what should I expect from Piccolo and whoever managed to become Piccolo's friends?" He grinned.

"Neptune, what is your mirror telling you?" Piccolo asked in his usual serious monotone.

"The Deep Aqua Mirror says that the doorway should be over those hills."

"Why are we walking then?" Sailor Uranus asked, slightly annoyed. "There's a faster way, and we don't have to deal with any of those non-flyers now." She said the last bit with a smirk.

The five took off and flew over the hills, landing where Neptune told them to.

"Neptune, isn't that mirror supposed to reveal the truth?" Krillin scratched his head. "It doesn't look like it's doing a very good job."

"Oh no, the door his here." She responded. "But how to get it to appear?"

"Be on your guard." Piccolo ordered. "I'm sensing…hostility."

"And you'd be right." A haughty female voice sounded.

The party turned to face the voice, and saw a woman with long grayish-blue hair appear in front of them.

"To get to the door you'll have to get past me!"

"Viluy, I guess it was too much to hope for that you and your crew were dead." Sailor Uranus spat.

The witch laughed. "Master Mordred is really something isn't he? Now I get to pound you brats into the dust, you and your new allies!"

"Heh." Piccolo smirked, Viluy involuntarily scoffing at the Namek. "I'll leave this one to the three of you." Piccolo declared. "I want to see how you've progressed since I last saw you."

"Is that a challenge?" Uranus smiled, followed by her two companions.

"Yes." Piccolo smiled back, taking a seat on a rock under the nearest tree. "Krillin, I'd like you to sit this one out."

"Hey, no problem here!" The short man said with a chuckle and joined his old friend.

Viluy growled. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?! I'm going to pound all of you together!"

"Sorry, your fight is with them." Piccolo stated, nearly ordered.

"Fine then, ugly green man!" She spat. "I'll deal with those brats first, and then you!" The witch roared and fired her beam of nano machines at the three Outers, who jumped out of the way. "I'll teach you!" She fired at Pluto, who blocked the blast by spinning her Garnet Rod.

"Uranus World Shaking!" Sailor Uranus shouted and threw her attack at Viluy, but the witch jumped over it and fired her own blast at Uranus, hitting her. She fell screaming to her knees.

Sailor Pluto grimaced and took off after the witch, striking her face with the Garnet Rod and sending her to the floor with throbbing pain in her cheek.

"I'll get you for that!" Viluy said as Sailor Pluto landed opposite her.

"Are you alright?" Neptune asked as Uranus got up, always side by side.

"I'm fine." She smiled. "You're not a warrior if you can't take a hit."

"Well, you'll be taking much more than _one_ hit!" Viluy rushed forward, blasting away.

Uranus and Neptune leapt away.

"Neptune Deep Submerge!"

"Ack!" Viluy grunted as she was hit by Neptune's attack, knocking her on her back.

Sailor Pluto took off to the sky. "Pluto Dead Scream!" She shouted, sending the purple blast toward Viluy.

The witch gritted her teeth and disappeared, avoiding the attack.

"Where'd she go?" Sailor Pluto muttered as she floated in the air. A few seconds later, she felt a painful force hitting her in the back and she dropped to the ground, managing to land on her feet, but still feeling the throbbing pain.

Uranus and Neptune sensed an attack coming and dodged it.

"She masks her energy immediately after her attack." Uranus stated. "I can't detect her." Her eyes bolted to and fro.

Sailor Pluto blocked the attack meant for her with her trusty Garnet Rod.

"What are you going to do now? You can't see or sense me!" She shouted in glee, sending another attack toward Pluto and Uranus, who dodged.

Sailor Neptune giggled. "You mean we can't see or sense you now." She held up her mirror. "Submarine Reflection!"

Viluy shouted as the light from Neptune's mirror revealed her hidden form, followed by a zap that sent her tumbling to the ground.

Sailor Pluto grinned and took off.

"Dead Scream!" She shouted, releasing the purple ball that plowed into the witch.

Uranus took that as her cue. She jumped and unsheathed her sword.

"Space Sword Blaster!" She shouted, sending a wave of energy at Viluy.

"Ah! Oh no! NOOOOO!" She shouted, and then screamed in pain as she felt her entire body being torn apart.

Uranus landed beside her companions, and a door appeared right where Neptune said it would, opening up for the party.

Piccolo smiled. "Well done."

"Yeah, let's get going huh?" Krillin said as he made his way to the door, the others following suit.

"Piccolo, why did you choose not to fight? Are you getting slow?" Neptune teased.

Piccolo grumbled as the two walked through the door into darkness.

"You sure do like teasing him, don't you?" Pluto laughed, followed by the thud of the door.

* * *

"Wow, it looks like a funhouse!" Goku said as he observed all the mirrors around the place, morphing his body in different ways.

Vegeta looked in one of the mirrors, the reflection making his body appear short and pudgy. He grunted and grimaced. "MORDRED! SEND US YOUR NEXT WEAKLING!" He shouted, annoyed.

"Oh, so it appears you aren't enjoying our little funhouse." A hideous raspy voice sounded out.

Goku and Gohan backtracked when they saw the ugly creature step out from behind a mirror and move towards the group.

"Zirconia!" Sailor Moon hissed.

"It's so nice to see you again, you troublesome brat! Master Mordred will reward me greatly when I scatter your bones in the dust!"

Goku laughed confidently and stepped forward. "That won't be happening, cause you'll have to get through me first!" He grinned.

Zirconia laughed and disappeared behind a mirror. The room got dark, almost pitch black. The only light was the light shone off the mirrors, and they revealed multiple Zirconias. All had a winged creature with a flame atop their rods. The raspy laugh filled the air.

"This time, you see, I've cloned Zircon too!" He laughed more. "Now how will you find the real me?!"

Goku got rid of his smile and calmed himself. A second later, the swarm of Zirconias rushed at him, firing their blue beams from their rods and reflecting off of each other in the mirrors. Goku responded by dematerializing and reappearing with a golden globe of energy in his fist. He fired it and hit one of the Zirconias, but it just caused the image to shatter, another one taking its place a second later.

"Hahahaha!" Zirconia laughed. "That wasn't me!"

Goku frowned and shot his eyes around the room as the swarm of Zirconias rushed towards him again; firing beams, but Goku zipped around the room, easily dodging all of the attacks.

"Uh…excuse me…Mister Vegeta…" Sailor Moon trailed.

"What do you want?" Vegeta asked in a hard tone, frowning and not looking at her.

"What's happening out there?" She asked, touching her index fingers together in nervousness.

"No need to worry." He said dryly. "Kakarot has this handled."

She turned to look at the Supreme Kai and Gohan. While the Kai intensely focused on the match, Gohan smiled at her and gave a thumbs up.

Goku grunted as he slammed his fist into one Zirconia, followed by a kick to one sneaking up behind him. Both of them shattered, and were replaced.

"Hahahah!" Zirconia continued to laugh. "Now let's shatter your dream mirror!" All the images took the winged creatures off their rods and threw them.

"Goku!" Sailor Moon shouted. "Don't let that thing hit you! It will reveal the mirror to your dreams, and if Zirconia smashes it, you'll be in big trouble!"

Goku looked toward the direction of Sailor Moon's concerned voice and turned back toward the oncoming horde of Zircons.

"No way." He muttered in confidence. "All right Zirconia, if you want to get serious, LET'S GET SERIOUS!" He shouted. "HAHHHH!"

Zirconia widened his eyes as a golden light surrounded Goku and his hair stood up, turning gold itself. Even the winging Zircons stopped in their tracks. A second later, Goku emerged, his golden aura lighting up the entire room, shining off the mirrors and amplifying it even further. He took off, the flaming winged-eyes following him.

"Right this way." Goku smirked.

The eyes followed Goku as he zipped around the now lighted room. The Saiyan smirked as he saw all of the reflections of Zirconia. He saw one of them with a nervous sweat on his face. Goku looked back, seeing that one of the eyes shifted its gaze toward its master.

"All right then." His smirk widened.

Goku dematerialized and rematerialized in back of the eye, not letting any of the others bother him- he knew what was real and what was not now. The Saiyan blasted Zircon, sending the eye careening down into Zirconia.

"Argh!" Zirconia yelled as he tried to hold onto the tremendous kinetic force rocketing against him.

"YAHHH!" Goku shouted as he powered up, his golden aura got bigger and bolts of electricity now accompanied it, the sparks shining off the mirrors and periodically lighting the once near pitch black room even brighter. Only one strand of hair fell over Goku's face now. "DRAGON FIST!" He shouted.

Zirconia screamed in fright as he saw the golden man rocketing towards him, the guise of a golden dragon surrounding him. A second later, he screamed in pain as he felt Goku's fist tearing his torso apart, the Saiyan emerged out of Zirconia's back a second later still surrounded by the image of the dragon, which then disappeared.

Zirconia slowly grunted in pain as he fell to the ground, Zircon exploding, followed by Zirconia, which produced an even bigger explosion.

Sunlight filled the room and all but one of the mirrors disappeared as Goku floated back to the ground.

"Good job dad!" Gohan shouted.

"Wow…" Sailor Moon trailed in amazement as she stared at the Saiyan's back, his golden aura still surrounding him and crackling with electricity.

Vegeta scoffed.

The last mirror revealed itself to be a door and opened up. Goku turned and smiled at his companions and powered down, his hair and eyes reverting back to their original black.

"Goku…you're amazing!"

"Aww, thanks Serena!" He said. "Let's go on, huh?"

Gohan smiled and moved to join his father as they both walked through the door. Vegeta followed, still wearing the same expression on his face. Sailor Moon smiled from ear to ear and ran after her new friends. The Supreme Kai widened his eyes in disbelief at what he had just seen, and then ran after them.

* * *

"And that's the entire story." Videl said to the people she knew as Gohan's friends, along with a guy in a Tuxedo and a few talking cats, which should have surprised her, but after what she had just seen, hadn't.

"So, they need to stop Bashgal from being released back into the world…" Yamcha trailed. "Sounds major serious."

"Why do my Goku and Gohan always have to play hero?" Chi Chi said in concern and annoyance.

"There's no choice." Bulma reassured. "With something like that looming, Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta are the best chance we've got at stopping it! There's no way they'd let that happen!"

"Hey!" Luna, Artemis, and Diana shouted in a twinge of jealousy.

"We must go and help them right away." Hotaru said, still in shock somewhat as to how she was integrated into the tale…her true…father… That must be the reason why Mordred hadn't killed her. He still felt some loyalty to her father, the Duke of Tranquility…

"Hotaru, it's far too dangerous!" Luna scolded.

"No. I am more powerful than the other Sailor Scouts." She stated. "Even with such powerful new allies, they may need my help, and I would be ashamed to let the man that betrayed my father get away with this!"

"Hotaru…" Rini trailed in concern for her friend.

"I agree." Trunks said. "They could use our help. Besides, a couple of extra Super Saiyans in the mix won't hurt." He smirked.

"Yeah!" Goten shouted in excitement.

"Ok, let's go!" Rini chimed.

"No! Rini!" All three cats objected.

"I'll take you Rini!" Goten instantly volunteered.

"Ok!" She chimed again and climbed on Goten's back.

Hotaru and Trunks had a silent agreement, and the purple-eyed girl climbed onto Trunks'.

The two boys took off into the sky.

"GOTEN GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!" Chi Chi ordered.

"TRUNKS YOU GET ON THE GROUND THIS INSTANT!" Bulma shouted similarly.

"Rini! Hotaru!" Tuxedo Mask called, but their shouts were to no avail, as the boys shot off with their payloads in the direction Videl had indicated, getting out of earshot in moments.

* * *

"Unreal…I thought they had all died…" Mordred sat on his char, stroking his chin in curiosity. "I thought they'd all been killed by that weakling Frieza. I suppose there were some survivors. Interesting. Super Saiyans…still as prideful as that fool Kabun was. No matter, it still won't save them."

* * *

**I didn't indicate Zirconia's gender. So male or female…take your pick!**


	11. Nehelenia's Temptation

"Man, too bad we couldn't stay in that nice grassy field." Krillin muttered as he and his group walked down the halls of a dingy dungeon. The ceiling was pitch black.

"Just how long is this hallway Neptune?" Sailor Pluto asked as her turquoise-haired companion kept glancing into her mirror and then on the forward path over and over.

"We're not going to find some maze are we?"

"No, it's fairly linear." Sailor Neptune answered. "Just keep walking, and we'll find the door at the end of this hallway."

"This place looks really familiar…" Sailor Uranus pondered as she looked around the area.

The group came upon a set of plain-looking white double doors. Uranus and Neptune's eyes widened.

"I remember this place…" Neptune trailed.

"It's where we…" Uranus continued.

Piccolo hardened his eyes and turned the handle to open the doors. He was the first inside, followed by the others. They emerged in a strange laboratory-like place with a three-dimensional map of space and the constellations.

"HAHAHA!" A female voice cackled as the room lit up.

The group's eyes narrowed at the appearance of a woman with obscenely long black hair and obsidian eyes of a hardness that would make even Piccolo's look tame. There was a black star on her forehead.

"Mistress 9." Uranus and Neptune scathed.

"Welcome back for round two, Sailor Scouts!" The evil entity laughed as Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, hardened their eyes in guard. She powered up, the black star on her head glowing and her gigantically long her flailing about.

Krillin widened his eyes and babbled as Mistress 9 shot her hair forward and grabbed him by the leg, slamming him into the ceiling, then gleefully threw him into the wall above the doors. Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto gasped as Krilling hit the floor with a loud thud next to them.

"That was a cheap shot!" Uranus spat.

Mistress 9 revealed a haughty smile and launched lightning bolts at the four fighters who still stood. Piccolo easily avoided them by dematerializing, while Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto jumped out of the way. Piccolo reappeared about four feet away from Mistress 9, but she saw him coming and sent a lightning bolt at her attacker. Piccolo grunted as he landed and blocked the attack.

"Not so fast, Namek!" Mistress 9 shouted. She summoned a large chunk of her hair and smacked the Namek in the side, startling him as he felt himself thwacked to the floor.

"Deep Submerge!"

Mistress 9 grunted and jumped away from Sailor Neptune's attack, which crashed into the three-dimensional constellation map.

"Not so fast, you little hussy!" The entity sneered as she sailed through the air, zapping the turquoise-haired woman with a blast of black lightning.

"Arghhh!" She screamed and fell to her knees, grimacing in pain.

"Neptune!" Sailor Uranus shouted in concern. "World Shaking!"

Mistress 9 saw the gold-orange ball of energy coming straight at her, and broke off the attack on Neptune, throwing her into the wall with her hair. Pluto flew toward Mistress 9, but the entity startled her by using yet more of her hair to grab the Garnet Rod and fling it into its owner. Pluto yelped as the rod smacked her right in the nose and she fell to the ground, just barely managing to land on her feet.

Piccolo saw this and rose to his feet, appearing in front of Mistress 9 and landing a defensive kick. It did not hurt her much, but it forced her to break off her attacks. The two landed on opposite sides of each other.

"Krillin, wake up!" Pluto rubbed his back, and the experienced fighter quickly got to his feet as Uranus and Neptune jumped to join them behind Piccolo.

"She's gotten stronger…" Neptune whispered.

Uranus nodded with a frown as they turned their attention back to their standoff.

"HA! HA! HA! HA!" Mistress 9 continued to cackle as she summoned her hair to continue wreaking havoc on the five warriors.

* * *

Sailor Moon's eyes were wide as the sky as she followed Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta through a narrow hall filled with something akin to mirrors on the walls. But these were not the funhouse mirrors they had seen earlier, nor were they ordinary household mirrors. These had ghost-like images within them, watching their every move. The Saiyans' eyes darted to and fro, constantly looking out if one of the images would attack them. The Supreme Kai frowned as the group walked forward. In another minute, they entered a set of ornate French doors, which closed behind them immediately after word. A haughty, yet elegant laugh sounded from the distance. Sailor Moon gasped as a dim light shined on a smirking face with icy blue eyes and cat-like pupils.

"Nehelenia!" Sailor Moon shouted in equal parts anger and worry.

The dark queen laughed and lounged on her throne up high, looking down at her visitors.

"Sailor Moon, it's now time we faced off once again. And this time, you won't get lucky. Then I'll deal with you, Supreme Kai!"

Sailor Moon and the Supreme Kai worriedly frowned. Vegeta annoyingly frowned. Goku and Gohan had curious looks on their faces.

"I believe it's your turn to fight." Vegeta said to Sailor Moon, causing her to yelp and widen her eyes.

"No!" The Supreme Kai objected. "Don't underestimate her! She is very powerful!"

"Hah!" Vegeta mocked. "Just like those other minions you warned us about?!" He mocked further. "If Sailor Moon, you are the true hero that we've heard about and this Kai has told us of, then let's see what you can do." Vegeta nearly ordered to her.

"Oh…" Serena mumbled as she nervously stepped forward.

"Hey Serena, if you beat her before, you can beat her again!" Goku encouraged.

"Hm hm!" Nehelenia confidently laughed. "I'll never understand you Saiyans. Master Mordred warned me to be wary of you because you're very strong…but you certainly don't have any brains!"

Sailor Moon nervously pulled out her Kaleidomoon Scope and prepared for battle. Nehelenia smiled and unleashed bolts of black lightning toward Sailor Moon, who yelped and haphazardly avoided the blasts.

"Moon Gorgeous…! Ahhh!" Sailor Moon gasped as Nehelenia blasted her weapon out of her hand before she could charge up her attack. The dark queen leapt down from her throne and narrowly missed socking Sailor Moon in the jaw. Sailor Moon haphazardly landed a kick on Nehelenia's chin. The dark queen jumped back, laughing.

Sailor Moon rushed toward her weapon, but Nehelenia blasted it again, knocking it further out of reach. She laughed and appeared in front of Sailor Moon, grabbing the girl by the throat, peering directly into her eyes. She backtracked in fear at looking directly into Nehelenia's cold pupils.

"How does it feel, Moon Princess? How does it feel to have your hopes and dreams crushed the way you crushed mine?"

"Ohh…" Sailor Moon sounded as she tried to breathe.

"Please!" The Supreme Kai, screeched as he felt an unfamiliar feeling- he was begging. "You must help her! GOKU!!!"

Goku grimaced, clenching his fist. He remembered the promise that Sailor Pluto held him to. He was just about to enter the fray when he saw sudden movements from Sailor Moon.

A silver glow encircled Sailor Moon, and she kicked Nehelenia away. She grunted as she careened across the floor and smacked painfully into the wall. Sailor Moon took off her tiara.

"Moon Tiara Magic!" She yelled and launched the gleaming discus at her enemy, thankful that the Silver Crystal had saved her.

Nehelenia grunted as the shining tiara smacked her in the face, again sprawling her on her behind. Sailor Moon leapt toward her weapon, haphazardly grabbing it.

Goku relaxed and smiled.

"See? All she needed was time!" Gohan smiled as well.

Nehelenia stood up, her haughty laughter resonating through the room.

"Sailor Moon! So…it seems you have some tricks up your sleeve after all. Now, let's continue this little game, shall we?"

Sailor Moon looked in nervousness and clutched her Kaleidomoon Scope close to her body as Nehelenia dove forward.

* * *

Kibito's eyes darted about in guard mode as he and the Inner Sailor Scouts carefully navigated their way through what looked to be a volcanic cavern.

"So hot…!" Sailor Venus immediately complained.

"Oh, stop complaining!" Rei yelled. "The last thing we need is another Serena!"

"You're right, Rei." She agreed. "But just remember, not all of us like being in an oven like you do!"

A pair of laughing voices interrupted their talk. Out of a curtain of fire appeared Mimet and Tellu.

"More witches, I should have known!" Mars sneered.

"We've returned to kill you, you pests!" Tellu equally sneered.

"CHARM BUSTER!" Mimet immediately shouted, sending black stars at her enemies.

Kibito took off to the air while the girls jumped around to avoid the attacks.

"Venus Love Chain Encircle!" Sailor Venus shouted, using her ethereal golden chain to deflect the black stars aimed at her and her companions.

"SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!" Sailor Jupiter shouted as she launched a small globe of crackling electricity at Mimet, who blocked it with her cane.

Tellu laughed and aimed at Sailor Mercury. "Mandragora Buster!" She yelled and sent a blast of energy toward the Soldier of Water.

Sailor Mercury yelped as the attack hit her, sending her flying towards the lava.

"Oh no!" Her three friends shouted.

She gasped as she felt a strong pair of arms grab her just before she would take a lava bath. Mercury smiled as she looked up into Kibito's eyes. Kibito hardened them and set her down, dematerializing and rematerializing in front of Tellu.

"What?!" She shrieked.

The Kai snapped a kick into her face, sending the witch flying back into the wall. She crashed a foot inside of the brown rock. He immediately turned his attention toward Mimet.

"Yikes!" Mimet shouted and haphazardly made to attack with her cane. Kibito immediately blasted it out of her hand.

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" Jupiter zapped Mimet with her thunder ball. The witch cried in pain as the sparks flickered all over her body.

"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" Sailor Venus shouted and sent out her glowing ball with a golden heart inside.

"NOOO!" Mimet screeched as she felt herself being torn apart by the powerful energy of Love. A bright light sparked through the room, and then Mimet was gone.

But Tellu had snuck out of her rocky hole in the brouhaha. She used the distraction to plant several seeds in the ground. As the light faded, she laughed.

"You didn't think I'd be beaten that easily did you?!" She smirked. "Behold, my little heart snatchers!" She shouted in triumph as she released massive bulbs that spat black energy at their enemies.

Everyone widened their eyes and dodged the blasts. Kibito, in particular, knew what would be coming if he was hit by one of them. When Eugeal shot him, he felt such ripping pain that permeated down to the very foundation of his being as his heart was wrenched out of his body. It was something that he never wanted to feel again.

Mercury saw the plight Kibito was in, and made to pay him back.

"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" She shouted, sending a foggy mist that even the volcano's fiery glow couldn't pierce.

"Mars Celestial Fire Surround!" Sailor Mars yelled and sent her fiery rings toward the heart snatching flowers, burning them all to a crisp.

Tellu coughed as she breathed in the mist. "Why you little brats!" She then saw Kibito right above her, and her heart fluttered in panic. He kicked her in the face, sending her crashing to the floor. She widened her green eyes in hysteria as she saw Kibito holding his hands together and forming a ball of light red energy.

"Please!" She begged as he unleashed the blast. "NOOOO!" She squealed like a slaughtered animal as the energy ripped her apart.

The Scouts all shielded their eyes from the bright red explosion, and when it was over and safe for them to look again, they saw a door appear in the wall up ahead. Kibito turned his head back to smile at them and made his way toward it.

"Three cheers for getting out of this smoldering place!" Venus shouted as they followed the Kai.

* * *

The five warriors fought to a stalemate as they continually dashed about to avoid Mistress 9's hair.

"Who would have thought?!" Piccolo grunted, annoyed. "That I'd be fighting so hard because of my opponent's _hair?!_"

Sailor Neptune would have laughed, but she tried to avoid Mistress 9's attacks just as hard as her mentor.

Krillin's eyes suddenly lit up with an idea. "HEY!" He shouted to get everyone's attention. "GET READY!" He called out.

"You mean ready to die?" Mistress 9 mocked.

Krillin formed a disc of yellow energy in his hand with a determined grimace on his face. Piccolo knew immediately what he was up to and beckoned Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto to gather together.

"DESTRUCTO DISC!" He shouted.

Mistress 9 gasped as she felt the disc arcing around her, slicing through her beautiful black hair!

"My hair!" She screeched.

Piccolo smirked. He gathered energy and released a two-handed blast that knocked Mistress 9 back. As her hair was noe very short, she couldn't manipulate its size to stop attacks.

"World Shaking!"

"Deep Submerge!"

"Dead Scream!"

The three Outer Sailor Scouts all released their attacks at the same time. Mistress 9's eyes widened when she saw the three differently colored globes of magical energy rushing toward her in a tight spiral.

"NOOOOARRGHHH!" She screamed as the powerful attacks hit her, exploding in a burst of orange, blue, and purple.

When the lightshow was over, the celestial map disappeared, and was replaced by a doorway. The five of them looked at each other in silent agreement and went forward to the next area.

* * *

"Rainbow Moon Heart Ache!" Sailor Moon shouted and released the rainbow band of hearts at Nehelenia.

The dark queen saw it coming and laughed, countering with a blast of black lightning. Sailor Moon struggled to keep her pink blast up against the black lightning, but eventually Nehelenia's attack overpowered her own, sending her crashing back, her Kaleidomoon Scope clattering on the floor.

"Hah!" Nehelenia mocked. "I would have thought you'd be a bit stronger since the last time we faced off, but you're not!" She then pointed her hand toward Sailor Moon and blasted her into the wall.

As Nehelenia laughed, Goku's power built up. The Saiyan was inching ever closer to action.

"Stay where you are Kakarrot!" Vegeta commanded.

He looked at the Saiyan Prince with disbelief in his eyes, followed by Gohan.

"Vegeta, she needs help!"

"You have no pride, Kakarrot! If this is truly Princess Serenity, Queen Serenity's child and heir to the Moon Kingdom, then she should be able to take care of herself!"

"Vegeta!" Goku objected as he saw Nehelenia calmly making her way toward Sailor Moon, who struggled to catch her breath.

"Goku! Gohan! Get in there!" The Supreme Kai gritted his teeth.

"NO!" Vegeta yelled.

Nehelenia had stopped her attack on Sailor Moon, paying attention instead to the loud mouth Saiyan.

"I AM SICK OF THIS! I CAME TO FIGHT YOU TODAY KAKARROT, TO PROVE THAT I AM THE STRONGER SAIYAN, NOT TO FIGHT WEAKLINGS ALONGSIDE THESE WEAKLING SAILOR BRATS! THIS IS A WASTE OF MY TIME!!!"

Nehelenia's face lit up with mirth. "I see that you, Prince of Saiyans, have beautiful dreams of your own."

Vegeta looked at her questioningly.

"What if I could tell you that I can help you fulfill your dreams?" She whispered in an almost seductive voice as she slowly made her way toward him. "I can make you…the strongest Saiyan to ever live, if only you will yield."

"Vegeta! Don't listen to her!" Sailor Moon insisted.

"Quiet, brat!" Nehelenia hissed and shot black lightning toward her, knocking her back into the wall with a squeal. Goku, Gohan, and the Supreme Kai sweated in nervousness. "Lord Bashgal's power…knows no bounds." She explained. "His followers benefit greatly from his power. Bashgal makes his followers masters of the universe! No answer? Fine then, I'll just decide for you!" In a flash, Nehelenia threw something into Vegeta's eye.

Vegeta grunted and began to rub his eye as Nehelenia laughed and disappeared.

"Vegeta! You have to fight it!" Goku cried.

Sailor Moon ran toward her new friends with a concerned expression on her face, standing beside Gohan. Vegeta grunted and struggled, his right eye flickering yellow.

"RAAAAAA!" He screamed in rage, turning Super Saiyan, flooding the dank room with light.

"Vegeta…" Sailor Moon trailed.

* * *

Mordred watched the scene from his chair, with Nehelenia standing beside him, both had triumphant smirks on their faces.

"Let us welcome…the newest member of our religion." He smirked.

* * *

**Sorry this took a while in coming, but I've had and still got shits ta do! Thanks everyone for reviewing, keep them coming!**


	12. Struggle of the Colossi

Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, the Supreme Kai, and Sailor Moon found themselves in a new area. Vegeta's Super Saiyan aura cast a golden glow over them all, along with a powerful breeze.

"Are we…back outside?" Gohan asked in disbelief.

Sailor Moon gasped as she saw the lair- a large emerald building with the same familiar doors integrated into a nearby mountain. She turned to look at Vegeta, who wore a warlike expression. His right eye was now completely glowing that eerie yellow that Nehelenia's spell had cast.

"_Now Vegeta!_" A booming male voice resounded from seemingly thin air for all to hear, obviously it was Mordred. "_My latest servant, I as Bashgal's high priest order you…to KILL SAILOR MOON!_"

Sailor Moon yelped in fear while Goku, Gohan, and the Supreme Kai got into fighting stances.

"I refuse!"

"_What did you say?_"

"Kakarrot is my only concern. I have no interest in fighting weaklings like Sailor Moon!" Vegeta continued.

"_Are you refusing my order?_"

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Vegeta commanded, taking even Mordred and Nehelenia aback as they watched in the lair's throne room.

"…Unbelievable…he's so strong that he can fight against Bashgal's spell!" The Supreme Kai whispered to himself.

"Vegeta, did you do this? Did you let yourself become enslaved?" Goku asked in anger.

"Vegeta, stop this! You don't know what you're doing!" Gohan shouted as he stood in front of his father.

Vegeta gritted his teeth in rage. "STAND ASIDE!" He ordered, sending a gust of wind with his moving hand. "This does not concern you; it's between me and your circus clown of a father!"

"Circus clown, well, that's a new one." Goku said dismissively. He glared and powered up to Super Saiyan.

"No Goku, you mustn't!" The Supreme Kai interrupted. "If you fight him you will be doing precisely what Mordred wishes."

"No." Goku countered. "I have no fear; any pain I experience will be of my own choosing."

"Goku! Your pain may not be capable of releasing Bashgal, that's true, but every time Vegeta inflicts an injury on you, it will strengthen the Numba!"

"Tell me Vegeta." Goku asked, completely ignoring the Kai. "Are you just following orders, or is this the same old story between you and me? Which one?"

"Does it really matter?" Gohan asked as Vegeta continued to smirk.

"Not to you Gohan, but to a warrior it matters greatly! And you know this as well as I do Kakarrot. In a day you'll be back to the dead, and I will not miss this opportunity!"

"NO!" Sailor Moon shouted, standing in front of Goku with her arms outstretched- as if she would stop Vegeta. "I won't let you fight!" She declared with hard sapphire eyes. "Don't you see that Mordred is using you? We need to stick together- all of us! We CAN defeat him, but we need to do so together! The fate of the entire universe is at stake, and it would be incredibly irresponsible of us to throw away our chance of winning! It is our duty- as defenders of this planet and more, to fight to win! We can't waste our efforts on meaningless squabbles!"

Vegeta cocked his head back and gritted his teeth even further. His jaw was so tense that it looked like he might break his teeth. "MEANINGLESS? WHAT DO YOU KNOW OF MEANINGLESS?" He raged on and powered up even further, forcing Sailor Moon to brace herself from the dust and wind, and hanging onto the ground with her feet for dear life as she felt herself being blown back a few inches.

Only Goku stood his ground with a calm expression.

"Spend most of your life ruled by another! Watch your race dwindle to a handful! And then tell me what has more meaning then your own strength! I have in me the blood of a Saiyan Prince, he is nothing but a joke, yet I had to watch him surpass me in strength, my destiny, thrown to the wayside! He's…he's even saved my life as if I were a helpless child! He has stolen my honor…and his debts must be paid!"

"NO!" Sailor Moon continued to object, even after Gohan and the Supreme Kai were stunned to silence. "I won't let you do this!" She shouted as she turned toward Goku. "Goku, please!"

Sailor Moon's eyes widened in fear and shock as she saw Goku hold out his hand, pointing an energy blast at her.

"Get out of the way Serena."

"…" She gasped with tearful eyes as Gohan grabbed her and put her out of the line between the two Saiyans.

"I trust you have no more excuses." Vegeta grunted.

"None, but I do have a request. Since our blows will strengthen the Numba, let's just skip the warm-up."

"Heheheh!" Vegeta laughed and powered up, his aura expanding and being accompanied by crackling electricity. Sailor Moon gasped at the sheer power and covered her face to protect it from the dust, feeling herself being pushed into Gohan's body.

Goku immediately did the same thing.

"NOOOO!" Sailor Moon shouted.

"It's all right." The Supreme Kai calmly said, stepping forward. "There's no point resisting what cannot be helped. "We will just have to continue our efforts with a new strategy." He smiled at Gohan and Sailor Moon. "Princess Serenity, I admire your efforts, you are strong, just like your mother." He then turned toward Goku. "When you fight out here, we'll break back into the lair and continue our assault on Mordred. Perhaps if fate smiles upon us, we'll meet up with Kibito, Piccolo, Krillin, and the other Sailor Scouts."

Goku smiled. "Take care Gohan. I don't have to tell you there's a lot riding on this, so do your best. Here, we've got two Senzu Beans left, take one. You need to be at full strength for whatever happens down there."

"Thanks." Gohan said somberly as he caught the bean and ate it. "I'll do what I can."

"Don't worry son, you've got all the power you need to beat these guys, just remember how to fight with your feelings like you did against Cell. Just remember about all the people you're fighting for and how much you care about them, and let that be your weapon." He smiled.

"I…I've missed hearing you, dad. It's a shame that this one day for you to be back had to get so screwed up but I'm glad that you're here."

Goku smiled. "Serena, just in case I don't see you again, let me just say that it was an honor to meet you and the other Sailor Scouts. I've been known as the protector of this planet before, but it's nice to have some company. Keep on fighting, I know that the purity of your soul will power you through to victory."

Serena smiled and nodded.

"Kakarrot!"

"It seems I have a prior arrangement. Good luck everyone." Goku smiled and took off, following Vegeta.

Once they had disappeared over the horizon, the Supreme Kai looked to Sailor Moon.

"Princess Serenity, I'm sorry, but your role in this is now over."

"What do you mean?" She asked with wide eyes.

"Your fight with Nehelenia was far too close a call. I cannot allow you to be killed. You'll have to forgive me, Princess." He then yelled a chant and pushed his hands forward.

She was stunned as she felt herself disappearing from the scene, watching Gohan and the Kai make their way back toward the lair.

"Serena!"

She was shocked when she looked up into the eyes of Darien, whom she should have been overjoyed to see, but instead she was fuming at being sent away.

* * *

Piccolo, Krillin, and the Outers walked alertly through what appeared to be a space station. Blaring stars were visible along with an orange-brown gas giant planet with a visible ring system and several large moons. As they walked up a ramp, a large set of double doors opened, revealing a figure wearing a black cloak. A set of fierce orange eyes looked at the group, challenging them.

Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto gasped, while Krillin babbled at the intimidating figure of Antares.

"You four stay back." Piccolo ordered. "This is my fight."

"No problem there, Piccolo." Krillin muttered as his longtime friend walked forward.

"A fight with a Namek, this should be interesting." He smiled with his pointed teeth, and then he took off his cloak and threw it to the floor, the black garment made an audible noise as it crashed to the floor.

Piccolo smirked as he saw the weighted clothing his opponent wore, taking off his own cape and turban and throwing them to the floor, making an equally audible crash, startling the Outers somewhat.

Antares got into a fighting stance and powered up, revealing an orange aura. Piccolo powered up, a flaming white aura surrounding him. Antares' intense orange eyes glared at Piccolo, giving a fierce invitation to attack.

Piccolo jumped toward Antares and attempted a kick at his face, but Antares blocked and tried to swipe upward toward Piccolo's gut with his elbow. Piccolo dematerialized to avoid the attack. Antares sensed where he would reappear, and delivered a swift jab to Piccolo's chin, but not before Piccolo connected with a straight punch to Antares.' Both floated back a few feet. They narrowed their eyes and rushed toward each other again, exchanging blows which each dodged or blocked. Antares leapt a bit and kicked Piccolo in the gut. The Namek saw Antares rush to capitalize as he was on the ground, but Piccolo took him off his balance by sweeping him, followed by a kick to the gut that sent the alien flying back. Antares, his long hair flying, caught himself and got back to his feet as Piccolo got back to his. Antares looked around and found the next set of double doors, he opened them with a flick of his wrist and then sent a large metal cylinder lying on the floor at the Namek and his friends with the same motion.

Piccolo dematerialized and the cylinder passed harmlessly through the space that he once inhabited. He then chased after Antares, who ran through to the next area.

"Woah!" Amara shouted as Michelle gasped.

They ducked just in time to avoid the spiraling cylinder, which sailed right over where their heads were. The object sailed into the wall of the station, making several loud clangs before it came to rest.

"Good reflexes. That thing nearly crushed your heads!" Krillin exclaimed.

"Good thing…Serena wasn't here, she would have been hit for sure…" Neptune tried to keep her sarcastic humor, but her vocal tone was very wrong, as she was still rattled.

"Let's go!" Trista shouted, regaining her senses.

The four companions took off, flying through the double doors toward the clashing Piccolo and Antares.

* * *

Goku and Vegeta stared each other down, their golden auras flaming around them, electricity crackling around their forms. They dared each other to make the first move. Vegeta obliged, screaming a great war cry worthy of a Saiyan Prince as he rushed forward throwing punches at his rival. Goku dodged and blocked, but Vegeta threw a knee into Goku's chest and elbowed him to the ground. Goku landed on his hands and knees, dodging a boot Vegeta meant to impale on his back.

"RAAAA!" Vegeta yelled in anger and rushed toward Goku, their knees colliding. "What's this, I thought you said we were skipping the warm up?" He smirked.

"I guess I was wrong!" Goku smirked back.

They both exchanged and blocked each other's intended knee strikes, electricity crackling from the intensity of their fight. Vegeta ended the clinch by throwing a vicious head butt against Goku, followed by straight punches to the stomach. Goku, however, managed to counter after the heavy blows by landing two knees on Vegeta, followed by a powerful kick to the face that sent him crashing into the nearest rock wall.

"That's more like it!" Vegeta grumbled. He powered out of the wall, tearing a large hole in the cliff and floated back toward his rival. The last two full Saiyans stared each other in the face and gathered their energy; a large yellow aura surrounded both of them, and then went back into their combat, attacking each other and blocking or dodging the attacks.

Both smashed each other's faces at the same time with stiff right hands, both groaned in pain. Vegeta however, his right eye gleaming yellow, recovered first and landed a vicious combination of punches, knees, and an elbow to the back of the neck on his rival. Goku however, quickly recovered, and renewed the exchange of attacks with Vegeta, landing a snapping kick to Vegeta's stomach. Vegeta's eyes bulged, expressing their pain, but he dematerialized to avoid Goku's punch meant for his face and reappeared behind him, blasting him into a cliff, leaving a gaping crater behind.

All was silent as Vegeta stared down into the Goku-formed crater. He was startled when he saw a smirking Goku sending an energy blast his way. Vegeta immediately countered, and the two Ascended Super Saiyans struggled, neither gaining an advantage as the energy lit the whole area up in a golden glow.

"You're not going to win! Not this time!" Vegeta vowed.

Both men shouted at the top of their lungs and the blasts got even bigger, exploding and tearing the area apart.

* * *

Antares snarled with his pointed teeth and landed a kick to Piccolo's chin, sending the Namek soaring through the air and colliding painfully with the metal floor. Piccolo grunted as Antares leapt to plant his foot into Piccolo's bowels, but the Namek got to his feet and flipped twenty feet back, to the point where he was standing right in front of his companions. Piccolo rushed forward toward Antares, who flashed an arrogant smile and made ready to block his attack.

"What?" Antares shouted as he saw a transparent Piccolo rush right through him. The next thing he felt was a cracking punch on his jaw that sent him flying back into the nearest wall. Piccolo gathered his white aura around himself and rushed after his opponent. Antares grimaced and gathered his own orange aura as he recovered. He caught Piccolo's punch, pulling him forward and kneeing him in the gut.

"Uhhghhh…" Piccolo's eyes widened in pain.

But Antares wasn't done. He flailed his wrist in a huge arc and smashed it into Piccolo's neck, almost breaking vertebrae.

"AAAAHHHH!" Piccolo shouted in pain.

Antares then spun his opponent and threw him into the wall, followed by Piccolo crashing to the floor. He chuckled as he levitated upward and lifted his hand.

"I've seen this before!" Amara said, accompanied by nervous nods from Trista and Michelle, all remembering what Antares did to Videl at the tournament. "We need to help him!"

"Relax guys; Piccolo's been in much worse situations than this!" Krillin tried to calm them.

Piccolo opened his eyes and heard a crackle of electricity. By pure instinct, he dematerialized to avoid Antares' black lightning and reappeared right in front of him.

"You…you avoided my lightning bolt!" He gasped.

Piccolo smirked. "HAAAAH!" He shouted, gathering his energy, his white aura surrounding him once more. "HHHHEEE!" He grunted as he kicked Antares in the lower stomach, just above the mysterious alien's groin.

"ARGGLLLL!" Antares exhaled in pain. He was then hit right in the face by a small, yet powerful blast from Piccolo. Antares sailed straight through the next set of double doors on the front end of that blast, and a yellow explosion followed. Piccolo's aura still flaming, he rushed through the mangled doors toward his opponent.

"Told ya!" Krillin said when the latest show was over.

The Outers smiled at Krillin and all flew toward the next area.

* * *

The area had already been ravaged by their fight. Trees had been uprooted and rocks of all sizes were scattered about. Hanging on to a cliff edge, one of the men responsible for the destruction grunted and opened his eyes.

"Don't know why I'm surprised…he has been training for the last seven years straight!" He then felt himself being grabbed up. "Vegeta…" He trailed as his opponent smirked.

"YAAA!" Vegeta shouted as he threw Goku into the nearest cliff. He laughed as he threw energy bracers around Goku's wrists, shins, and neck, then dematerialized and appeared in front of him. "What's the matter, not winning as easily as you thought?"

"I never said it would be easy…" Goku grunted.

"Hah, you won't be winning at all!" Vegeta taunted as he mockingly slapped Goku twice. "What clown? Are you feeling angry and humiliated, is that it?" He countered as Goku growled at him. Vegeta kneed him in the stomach. "Fool! You don't know what humiliation is!" He shouted through clenched teeth as he punched and kneed his rival. "Don't worry, I will teach you just as you have taught me! Me, a warrior elite, in my finger tips I hold the power to destroy entire worlds! I am a Saiyan of royal blood, the last of my kind, and on my shoulders rest the glory of an extinct warrior race! Whole civilizations once trembled at the sound of my name! But you didn't did you Kakarrot? And at your hands, my honor and my pride, the foundations upon which I have always stood began to crumble at my feet! It was at your hands that I suffered my first great humiliation, toppled by a piece of low level trash! Imagine my added shame when it was you and not me who avenged our people by defeating Frieza! You, who were the first to achieve the pinnacle of our race, the first in a thousand years to take a place among the Super Saiyans of legend…a place that I had been raised to believe was my royal birthright! And imagine the disgrace I suffered when the strength I had worked my whole life to acquire was surpassed by a mere child! Your half-breed son succeeded where I, the Prince of All Saiyans had failed! It is time to take back what is mine! I will not live my life as your second! That time is over! Every breath you take is an assault on my honor! But no more Kakarrot! By my hands, you will be cut down inch by inch, the way you have cut down my pride!"

Goku glared and growled. "HAAAAAH!"

"What?" Vegeta asked as he saw Goku break his bracers- except for the ones on his wrists. The next thing he saw was Goku's boulder-enhanced right fist crash into his face.

Goku quickly followed it up with the left, smashing boulder number two across Vegeta's face. He rushed forward and smacked Vegeta with a flurry of punches to the gut, followed by a knee to the chin that sent Vegeta sailing into a rocky hill. Goku followed through the crater he had created, coming into a cavern.

Golu looked around and closed his eyes, trying to sense where Vegeta was hiding. _Focus…I know you're here Vegeta._ He thought. He gave a startled yelp when he saw an energy blast rushing toward him, lighting up the cavern. He threw it back to where it came from, but noticed nothing.

"I'm here fool!" A voice growled.

Goku was startled as he felt himself being grabbed into a full nelson. The sounds of his struggle was music to Vegeta's ears as he lifted Goku up toward a spiky stalactite, stopping only inches away from the sharp rock that would have split his stomach.

"HHNAAAAHH!" Goku shouted, gathering his energy and sending Vegeta away. "KAME…"

"FINAL…"

Their voices resounded throughout the cavern and the rock began to fly apart at the seams at the massive amount of energy they were emitting. The result was a smoking mushroom cloud that could be seen for many miles.

Goku and Vegeta stared each other down, flashes of yellow and flying rocks surrounding them. A huge crater gaped beneath their floating forms. Then, they crashed into each other once again, exchanging and dodging flurries of punches and kicks.

"HAAAHHH!" Goku shouted as he charged, but Vegeta landed a kick to Goku's face, sending him back after drops of blood came out of his mouth, but Goku quickly retaliated, countering Vegeta's charge with a mean left hook, glazing Vegeta's blue and now-yellow eyes, respectively, as blood dropped out of the Saiyan Prince's own mouth.

The blows became more intense, bolts of blue electricity accompanying every attack, block, and counter. Solid mountaintops shattered to bits as if they were glass with the intensity of the bout.

"So, you've still got plenty of fight left." Vegeta challenged.

"Yeah." Goku answered.

"Impressive, I didn't think you'd last this long!"

"Really, I could say the same thing about you Vegeta, you've learned a few new tricks while I've been away!"

Vegeta laughed and dematerialized, reappearing behind Goku, but he saw it coming and dodged, elbowing Vegeta and sending him to the ground, but the Prince landed on his feet and sent a blast toward Goku, who jumped over it, and the entire mountain behind him collapsed, the two Saiyans were back to exchanging blows afterwards, demolishing another mountain.

"RAAA!" Vegeta shouted as he fired energy blasts at Goku, who dodged or chopped them in half, yet out of the smoke of the blasts, Vegeta kneed Goku with his hardest knee strike of the day, and his eyes glazed over in pain. The Saiyan Prince then grabbed his rival from behind, his hands covering his mouth and neck. "What's the matter clown?" He taunted as he rushed toward the ground.

"Unnn…" Goku sounded in pain as he stood up, and the next thing he felt was Vegeta's head smacking into his own. Goku, experienced fighter that he was avoided the blast that came next.

Vegeta saw where he had gone to and charged toward him, stopping when he saw that Goku was no longer there. He looked on, stupefied, sparks of electricity crackling in his golden aura.

"As I was saying Vegeta."

Vegeta grunted and turned toward the voice, to see Goku standing with electricity crackling in his own golden aura.

"You've learned a few new tricks while I've been away, but then, so have I!"

* * *

Krillin and the Outer Scouts' eyes darted to and fro as Piccolo and Antares fought high in the air. The room they were currently in was a tall room with a catwalk, and below seemed to be the very reactor of the space station. They fought with such intensity that only lines followed by a spark of their clash would have been seen by ordinary eyes.

Piccolo caught an elbow straight in his jaw by Antares, sending him crashing down to the metal catwalk. His back collided painfully with the floor right in front of his allies. Antares grinned and flew downward toward his target, like a comet.

"DARK SWORD!" He shouted in flight, forming a flaming ethereal blade in his right hand. He charged forward and with an overhand strike, drove his sword into the ground where Piccolo was, only to grunt in rage when he saw his target was no longer there, the sword harmlessly dispelling on impact. "GRRRR!" He looked into the eyes of the Namek's companions.

All four gestured with their eyes for him to look up and turn around. He looked over his shoulder to see a Namek smirking at him from high in the air. Antares snapped an orange energy blast Piccolo's way and dematerialized. Piccolo easily saw it coming and dodged it, then threw a knee strike into what appeared to be thin air.

"AAAAHHHGGG!" Antares' eyes glazed over in pain as Piccolo's knee collided with his gut, saliva and blood dropping out of his mouth. Piccolo followed his knee strike with a side double axe handle to Antares' right cheek, sending the alien shooting into the wall far away from the catwalk. Piccolo summoned his white flaming aura around himself and rushed forward, foot extended to kick Antares. Antares, looking at the oncoming Namek without moving his face- now implanted in the wall, made ready to counter attack. "METEOR SHOWER!" Antares turned and shouted just as Piccolo was nearly in his face.

Piccolo grunted in shock as ethereal rainbow rocks appeared from Antares' outstretched hands. He grimaced in pain as he felt himself being nicked and scratched by the sharp, jagged stones. The Namek brought his arms up to guard his eyes from the attack, which nicked and bruised him across his entire body.

"Hah!" Antares laughed as he rushed upward, disappearing inches in front of Piccolo and reappearing behind him, kicking him in the back. Piccolo landed on his feet, but that was just what Antares was hoping for. He lifted his right hand in a fist, extending his index finger skyward; a yellow ball came out of it. "CORONA CUT!" He yelled. The ball twirled very fast, and a knife-edge like laser ejected out of it, cutting down anything in its path as the ball span.

"Oh shit!" Krillin yelled as he saw the beam rushing around toward him.

"Duck!" Trista yelled.

All four ducked as the beam rolled over their heads, slicing a few hairs in the process. A panoply of black, turquoise, sandy blonde, and dark green hairs rested on the dull catwalk.

"Near decapitation number two." Michelle calmly stated. "Thanks Antares, but I like my head where it is."

"AAAAHHHHH!" Piccolo screamed, indicating that he had not been so lucky to have only a few hairs sliced off.

"Piccolo!" Trista shouted with worried eyes.

Antares smirked and snickered as he saw his handiwork. The Namek's right arm was cut off at the bicep, purple blood trickling and pooling onto the catwalk.

"Well, well. It appears that I've won, Namek. You put up a good fight…but you only bring one game with you. You're no match for the Hybrid Fighting Style, which, as you can see, Master Mordred trained me very well in. Surrender and I'll make your death painless. Then, I can move on to your friends!"

The four of them glared.

"Yes…you're right!" Piccolo grunted in pain. "I can't fight you without my arm, you've won."

"Piccolo!" Amara was stunned that Piccolo would surrender.

She and Michelle were about to enter the fray, but Krillin stopped Amara with his hand on her wrist. He looked up into the much taller woman's eyes and shook his head with a frown, indicating for her to stay where she was.

"I do have one last request." Piccolo continued. "I would like to know the past of such a worthy adversary before I die. Who are you, and where do you come from? I don't remember seeing anybody like you before, and I've been around the universe in my lifetime."

Antares laughed. "I'm always willing to indulge a fan! My name is Antares, as you probably know. I am an Astravul, or Starchild, from the moon called Veneficus, orbiting the gas giant planet Templum- you all probably saw it on your way in here. It is in the Upsilon Andromedae system, forty four light years away from your world."

"And what is it like there? What type of people are you Starchildren?" Piccolo inquired.

"We are a race of wizards and mages, seers and magicians. We are also very ruthless when it comes to maintaining and expanding our own power and knowledge of the arcane arts. We are also physically stronger than the average intelligent species, though we aren't as gifted as the Saiyans were. Nonetheless, Frieza never had the balls to try and conquer _us_." He said in pride. "Now that you know the man that has conquered you, let's end this now."

"Wait!" Piccolo requested. "Let me ask you one more thing. Why are you here on Earth? Why are you part of Mordred's forces?"

"An inquisitive one I see?" He smirked. "Yes, we've heard about you Nameks. Well then, Mordred came to our moon offering power. You see, we Astravul are rather isolationist in our under leanings, but Mordred demonstrated his immense skills in both physical and magical abilities- and offered to teach the Hybrid Fighting Style to those that would help him along. In our religion, the Astravul tribes worship a great warlord from long ago that we knew as Umbra Vir- or the shadow man. We worshipped him for the vast power that he commanded. Mordred showed us proof that he came on Umbra Vir's behalf, and that his proper name was Lord Bashgal. Do you think that I am the only one?" He asked triumphantly. "Soon, many Hybrid-trained mercenaries from Veneficus will arrive to help Master Mordred- to supplement the Numba army he intends to raise. I have achieved honor as one of those mercenary captains. Once our plan is put into action, Lord Bashgal will arise- and take his rightful place as the worshipful master of this universe. There's no Silver Millennium or Galactic Alliance to stop him this time, only your little ragtag band, and you will be defeated soon enough. And let me tell you this last thing: Sailor Moon, or "Serena" as you know her by, will never become Neo-Queen Serenity. Crystal Tokyo will not exist, nor will the Silver Millennium be revived- we'll make sure of that. It's only Lord Bashgal! Bashgal! Bashgal! Bashgal!" He laughed in delightful triumph.

Krillin and the Outer Scouts sweat dropped with angry glares.

Piccolo laughed and gave a confident smirk. "Thanks, you've proven quite useful to me." Piccolo said, and then in a flash, a new arm sprung out of his wound, green liquid dripping from its new formation.

The Outers gasped.

"I never knew he could do that!" Michelle quickly smiled.

"Is this why you told us not to attack him, Krillin?" Amara smirked.

Krillin grinned from ear to ear with closed eyes and a thumbs up.

"You…you conned me!" Antares said in shock.

"Yeah." Piccolo grinned, still feeling out his new arm. "All I needed was time. Thanks for giving it to me in such a productive fashion."

Antares grimaced in anger.

"I'll tell you this. You will _not_ bring Bashgal back from the void he deserves to spend eternity in, and we'll be ready for your mercenaries. They won't matter much once we've made sure Mordred's been de-atomized. I've fought much more powerful creatures than you Antares- creatures that would make you tremble in fear! And don't think I won't pay you back for taking my arm- maybe I'll take yours."

Antares continued to grimace in rage. A split second later, he felt Piccolo's new knuckles colliding with his chin- and they hurt every bit as much as the previous ones. He sailed into the wall with a loud groan of pain.

* * *

Kibito and the Inner Scouts raced through an open savanna, wondering when they would finally find the next door. Instead, they gasped when the ground vanished beneath them.

"AAAAHHHHH!" The Inners Shouted as they freefell. Not even Kibito could levitate. All five crashed into a familiar looking piece of ground.

"Where are we…?" Rei asked, still dazed. Brightly flashing lights some ways away managed to get her back to her senses. "What in the world is that…?" She asked, feeling extremely powerful vibrations from where the lights came from.

Kibito gasped as he felt the powers colliding in the distance.

"Hey look!" Mina pointed; they all turned their heads toward an emerald building integrated into the mountain.

"Are we outside the lair?" Lita asked.

"Yes." Ami said, doing calculations on her computer. "We have two choices available to us: we can investigate what's going on over in the distance, or return to the lair, and see if we can meet up with the others."

"Hello Sailor Brats!" A chorus of voices interrupted their thinking.

"The Sprite Sisters!" Mina pointed in disgust.

"Yes, very pleased to make your acquaintance." Chimera said with a mock bow.

"So, I guess we'll have to fight you bimbos after all!" Lita said, cracking her knuckles in anticipation.

"Oh yes." Scylla said with a haughty smile, her brown hair flying back with the wind. "But you brats haven't seen our true forms yet. There's no holding back this time!"

Kibito glared, but before he could make a move, four lights flashed, and out of them emerged hideous looking monsters. Chimera had morphed into a hideous creature with lion-like feet, wings on her back, and three heads, a lion, a goat, and a snake. Medusa had morphed into a green monster with fangs and snakes for hair. Scylla morphed into a likewise greenish monster with six blank-eyed heads, and as many tentacles. And Charybdis morphed into a fish-like creature with whitish-blue skin, and a large gaping mouth excellent for sucking things in.

Kibito grimaced in anger and frustration- he knew what they'd be up against. The Inner Sailor Scouts stood in shock and fear.

"So, how do you like it?" Charybdis gloated.

"Aesthetically unpleasing, but it makes for much better fighting!" Chimera bellowed.

"However, the numbers game doesn't quite add up, it's a bit unfair, don't you think?"

Kibito and the Inners gasped in shock and even greater fear when they saw another form entering the fray.

* * *

**Keep on reviewing everyone! I'm happy you're all liking it.**


	13. Shadow of Death

"So…do these things really work?" Darien asked skeptically as he held up the four star Dragonball. The orange crystalline sphere revealed his and the cats' curiosity, as well as Serena's saddened and concerned expression.

She was now in civilian form, sitting in the back of Bulma's plane with Darien. Luna was on her left shoulder, while Artemis and Diana sat on Darien's two.

"Oh they work; you don't have to worry about that, Darien." Chi-Chi said from the front passenger seat.

Serena's eyes still hadn't changed. She was sad and angry at the same time. "We have to get them to stop fighting, we just have to…"

"Oh Serena…" Luna said in sadness.

Bulma didn't know what to say. According to Serena, an enemy named Nehelenia had cast some kind of curse on Vegeta, but she really thought that he'd know better than this. If he only intended to fight Goku, something was amiss. Hopefully the Dragonballs would restore him to sanity, and revive the people that those Numba creatures had wound up killing at the tournament.

"Vegeta…" She trailed.

* * *

Goku rushed toward Vegeta, knocking him with a flurry of furious punches, and ending with a high kick that sent the Prince of All Saiyans crashing into another small mountain, causing part of the edifice to collapse due to the sheer force. Goku followed this with a series of energy blasts, the yellow orbs crashing into the rest of the mountain and causing it to fall.

Goku gasped as a ball of energy came charging toward him from the debris, but the adept Saiyan easily dodged it by jumping into the air and flying into the brown smoke cloud. Flashes could be seen inside, signaling the clashing Saiyans. Vegeta emerged from it with a strong straight right, sending Goku flying away, but Goku countered Vegeta's follow up by kicking him in the face.

The two flew toward a lake, and Vegeta threw an energy blast at Goku, but he blocked and dispelled it. The waters were rushing about because of the powers colliding above them.

"FINAL FLASH!" Vegeta shouted after exchanges of punches and he and Goku chasing each other in the water.

Goku looked up startled as the huge yellow energy ball came his way. He held out his hands to block it, but felt himself being pushed into the water. The resulting explosion completely destroyed the lake.

"You've become quite the escape artist!" Vegeta mocked as Goku reappeared.

"Maybe you just need some better finishing moves!" Goku countered.

"I doubt that!" Vegeta said angrily and disappeared, followed by Goku. Both Saiyans landed on the ground, staring each other down.

* * *

All of the Inners and Kibito gritted their teeth in wide-eyed fear as Mordred calmly floated down to the ground, landing in front of the Sprite Sisters, his face completely covered by his menacing helmet.

"Welcome, welcome, Sailor Brats, and Supreme Kai's bitch!" Mordred taunted. "I'm surprised you've made it so far. Five on five is a much fairer match, isn't it?"

Their guarded and fearful expressions hadn't changed.

"So Mordred, not confident enough in your minions that you had to bring yourself here to help them?" Sailor Mars finally challenged.

The Sprite Sisters all hissed while Mordred stared at the insolent girl under his helmet, finally erupting in laughter. "Confidence? Oh, I'm very confident! In fact, I'm so confident in the Sprite Sisters that I'll have them fight your group in one on one matches!"

The Inners' and Kibito's expressions changed to curiosity as Mordred chanted a few words and held out his hands. Instantly, all the figures but Rei and Mordred disappeared.

"Well, that's fair isn't it?" Mordred asked mockingly. "It's time for you and your big mouth to go one on one with the Great One." (I stole that from The Rock, yeah!)

* * *

Sailor Mercury was startled as she found herself on a desert tropical island facing off against Charybdis.

"Soldier of Water." Charybdis mocked, her gaping mouth moving with every word. "Let's see what you've got!"

"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Sailor Mercury called out, sending a wave of water toward Charybdis, fully intending to turn the Sprite into an icicle.

Charybdis laughed and parted her mouth wide, revealing something akin to a bottomless pit. She made an audible sucking noise as she pulled the entirety of Mercury's attack into her mouth.

Sailor Mercury gasped as she saw Charybdis suck her attack in and spit it right back at her. She jumped to avoid the attack, but the wave got her in her right leg just above the ankle.

"Hah!" Charybids laughed in triumph as Mercury struggled to break free of the ice from her own attack. She rushed forward and planted her finned fist into Sailor Mercury's jaw, breaking the ice as she was sent sailing back into a tree.

* * *

Sailor Jupiter glared as she stood staring at Scylla with her six heads and twelve tentacles. Her blank eyes stared with a menacing grin at her opponent. They were in a forest.

"HAAA!" She hissed and rushed toward her opponent.

Sailor Jupiter avoided a high attack meant to claw her in the face, but Scylla quickly followed it up with another of her vicious tentacles, clawing a deep laceration into Jupiter's calf.

"Ahhh!" She yelled in pain.

Scylla hissed in delight, angering the Soldier of Thunder. She tried to get in close to knock one of those mocking heads off, but Scylla quickly batted her away, with all those tentacles, Jupiter knew it would be difficult to impossible to get inside of Scylla.

Jupiter contemplated her next move, but was shocked as she saw Scylla raise her tentacles, forming yellow energy blasts in each, and then shooting them at once, all of them quickly combining into one attack. Sailor Jupiter just managed to avoid the blast.

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" Jupiter shouted and released the ball of electricity. She was more than startled when Scylla dematerialized to avoid the attack and reappeared, head butting her with two of those monstrous heads. Jupiter yelled as she went flying into some thorny bushes. "Jupiter Coconut Cyclone!" She shouted as she regained her footing, sending an electrical storm swirling around her.

"Ouch!" Scylla shouted as she was hit by the bolts, her bones visible from the electricity. "Oh that hurt!" She pouted as her body was smoking. So kid, it seems you can fight a little after all! But it will take much more than that to beat me!"

Jupiter got ready to attack again, but was promptly smacked in the face by another tentacle, leaving cuts behind as she flew into yet more bushes.

* * *

Sailor Venus was burning up as she stood in a desert facing off against the monstrous Chimera.

"Ready to die, my little pretty?" She hissed with a laugh.

Venus readied her sky blue eyes for battle. "Venus…Crescent Beam Smash!" She shouted, sending a yellow beam straight for her opponent.

"Woah!" Chimera shouted as she saw the beam quickly approach her center head, a lion. She dematerialized and rematerialized in the air. "Quirky move, but I can do something like that too!" She bragged.

Sailor Venus widened her eyes when she saw Chimera puff her six cheeks up and blow a golden beam out of each of her three heads. One of them hit Venus right on her leg joint and sent her crashing to the ground, face first.

"Maybe I should have put more magical power into the blast, oh well." Chimera muttered and shrugged her shoulders. She smiled and charged right at Venus, who managed to jump out of the way.

"Venus Love Chain Encircle!" She shouted and snagged Chimera's tail, throwing her to the sand.

"Ooph!" Chimera sounded as she hit the sand, but she charged toward Venus and head butted her in the chest before she could be thrown again, dispelling the chain and sending the Soldier of Love crashing through the sand, the fine grains leaving small cuts on her body. Chimera snickered.

* * *

Kibito knew to immediately turn his back as he saw himself on a glacier at the North Pole. He knew that as a man, he could not look Medusa in her eyes while she was in her true form, or he'd turn to stone. He closed his eyes as the Sprite rushed toward him, using his sensory perception to feel her attacks. The Kai threw a roundhouse, but the Sprite dematerialized and flew in the air, sending showers of sharp stones out of the snakes on her hair. Kibito grimaced with his closed eyes and avoided the attack, rushing to land a blow on Medusa, sending her to the glacier, cracking the ice. Kibito followed it up with a reddish energy blast, but she dematerialized and appeared before Kibito, tackling him all the way to the ground.

"Let's have a look into those eyes, Kai!" She said in delight and tried to pry them open, to Kibito's horror.

The Kai got his legs under her stomach, and flipped her off, but Medusa rushed right back, head butting him, and her snake-like hair tore cuts into his face as he flew backward.

* * *

Goku and Vegeta stared each other down; their golden auras filled up with crackling bolts of lightning, each powerhouse struggled to catch his breath.

"I'm amazed Vegeta, these last seven years in Other World I've been through the most intense training sessions, but we're still completely even. I guess this whole time you've been pushing yourself even harder than I have!"

"That may be true. I've pushed myself to the edge of my limits and beyond. But you've been born with a natural talent far beyond my own; no amount of training could have closed the gap between us! So that's when I secretly made up my mind…"

Goku gasped. "You mean you… you fool! You deliberately let Nehelenia put you under Bashgal's spell!"

"Yes." Vegeta grinned. "I saw the power of Bashgal's magic! I knew that if it could make Mordred and his followers eternal, it could make the differences in our power disappear! I'm quite pleased with the results; even if they do come at a price. I'd say the end more than justifies the means!"

"Vegeta! I don't understand, you've never allowed anyone to help you before! Why start now, why Nehelenia?" Goku glared.

"…Because I wanted to reawaken the evil in my heart, I wanted her to use Bashgal's power to return me to the way I was BEFORE!" He shouted, powering up and sending smoke and debris toward Goku, who haphazardly blocked it. "I was the perfect warrior, cold and ruthless! I lived by my strength alone, uninhibited by foolish emotion!"

Goku continued to stare as Vegeta raged on.

"But over the years…I changed. I settled down and started a family. I even thought that the Earth was a nice place to live…I needed to rid myself of those feelings, and now I have! And I have to say it feels pretty good!"

"Do you really believe what you're saying?" Goku challenged.

Vegeta grunted and flared his aura. Goku did the same, and the two continued to stare each other down, dust swirling around the scene.

* * *

Gohan and the Supreme Kai heard a calm and delighted laugh as they stepped into the throne room of the lair.

"So nice to see you two again!" Nehelenia appeared from the darkness. "But I wonder, where is that little hussy Sailor Moon?"

"She's somewhere safe; you'll never get to her!" The Supreme Kai frowned.

Nehelenia laughed again. "Maybe not now, but no one is free of Lord Bashgal's power, in the meantime, killing the Supreme Kai should be just as good, if not better."

Gohan stepped forward with a frown, ready to challenge her.

"Just to let you know, boy, I'm a far different game from Cyprine." She smirked.

"Well, I'm a far different game from Sailor Moon." Gohan smirked back, remembering what his father told him. Gohan rushed toward Nehelenia. She sent black lightning towards him, but the young half-Saiyan easily dodged it, and rushed with his fist clenched.

Nehelenia grimaced in annoyance and sent her hair forward, entangling her opponent's arm. Gohan widened his eyes as he saw her locks of hair throw him into the wall. Gohan however, quickly recovered and disappeared, reappearing right in front of Nehelenia.

"Ha!" He shouted as he caught her with a downward right hand to the jaw.

"Ahhg!" Nehelenia sounded as she crashed to the polished floor, sliding all the way until she bumped the back of her head on Mordred's chair. Gohan leapt into the air and launched a blast at Nehelenia, but she propelled her arms forward to dissolve it and slowly got up. "You've got some fire in you kid. I regarded you as easy to deal with, but I'll just end you, and the Supreme Kai, right now."

Gohan rushed toward her, but Nehelenia threw blasts of black lightning at him, hitting him in the chest and stopping his advance. The pain was not intense, but Nehelenia quickly followed it up with a crushing spell from her left hand, causing both Gohan and the Supreme Kai to feel a tremendous amount of pressure. Both screamed in pain as they felt themselves being crushed, this was no gravity increase, it was a spell designed to put maximum pressure on an individual.

"Nehelenia the Kai Killer, oh what a title!" She said in delight as she used her right hand to increase the spell. "Then, I'll get my revenge on that hussy princess, and take everything she loves!"

"No…you…won't!" The Supreme Kai screamed as he tried to pull himself together.

"First her, then this planet, and Lord Bashgal will reward me well!"

Gohan grimaced at her. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR TALK, LADY!" He screamed, slowly getting to his feet.

"What?" Nehelenia's cold blue cat eyes widened in surprise.

"HAAAAAAAAHHH!" Gohan shouted, his hair turning gold and eyes turning green-blue, filling the room with a golden flash.

Nehelenia's eyes grew in their disbelief as she saw her young opponent emerge surrounded by a robust golden aura accompanied by frequent sparks of electricity. His eyes were narrowed toward her.

"How…how are you standing in my spell?" She shouted, but Gohan's ears were deaf to her voice. He rushed forward, appearing in front of Nehelenia in a flash. She gasped as she looked into Gohan's eyes and then felt a searing pain in her stomach. She saw that Gohan's right fist was impaled into her.

Nehelenia's eyes glazed in pain and she staggered back. She had never felt anything as painful as this young Saiyan's fist.

"I'll get you for this, Saiyan!" She spat. "I swear I will!"

"I've heard that one before." Gohan said sarcastically. "I know your kind, you think you own everyone's lives, that they're your playthings, well I won't stand for it, you're going down, you bitch." Gohan himself was surprised at the malice in his voice, but he'd had enough of these people.

Nehelenia gasped in fear and sent lightning bolts his way, but Gohan easily avoided them and roundhouse kicked her jaw with his left foot, sending her crashing into the wall and then the floor. Gohan held his hands up, crossed his arms above his head and then brought them forward.

"GOLDEN DOME ATTACK!" He shouted, sending the bright yellow beam straight toward Nehelenia.

Nehelenia's eyes widened as the last thing she saw was an immense golden light rushing toward her. The next thing she knew, she felt the pain of her body searing apart by the blast.

The Supreme Kai struggled to get up to his feet as he saw Gohan turn around, the pressure gone.

"Well done, Gohan, now, we must confront Mordred!"

Gohan nodded with a smile, but as soon as he had done so, they both found themselves outside the lair, watching a desperate battle.

* * *

"AHHHHAHH!" Sailor Mars screamed in pain with her eyes wide shut as she felt Mordred lift her up. Her body was full of cuts and scrapes. She felt Mordred's gauntleted fist smack into her jaw and she fell to the ground.

It was not like the Soldier of Fire to give up, however, and she struggled back to her feet.

"Mars…Celestial…Fire…SURROUND!" She shouted and shot her rings of fire toward Mordred, who merely lifted the Strife Mace, creating a barrier which easily dispelled them.

"Still won't give up." Mordred stated mockingly as he crossed his arms.

"I'll never surrender to you!" Rei sneered in pain.

Mordred smirked as he saw Mars prepare for another attack.

"Mars Flame Sniper!" Sailor Mars shouted and sent an arrow straight at him, which Mordred easily dispelled with his mace.

Mars' dark purple eyes narrowed in fear as she saw her move busted easily. Mordred's grey eyes lit up in enjoyment under his helmet and he rushed toward her with a haughty war cry but was stopped by a golden flash coming toward him. Mordred grimaced as he avoided the blast.

Sailor Mars looked up to see two figures standing on either side of her. One was the Supreme Kai, and the other was Gohan.

"Am I sure glad to see you guys!" She said in relief as she looked up at Gohan's handsome face, which made her blush.

"Where are the others?" Gohan asked as he frowned at Mordred.

"Mordred sent Mina, Lita, Ami, and Kibito away separately to fight the Sprite Sisters, and I haven't seen Pluto and Piccolo's group since we got separated." She reported in an exhausted voice. "Wait a minute, where's Serena?" She said in a concerned voice. "And Goku and Vegeta?"

"The Princess is in a safe place." The Supreme Kai assured. "Goku and Vegeta are fighting each other in the distance."

"What…?" She asked. Those vibrations she was feeling, and those lights…was that them? "Why are they fighting each other?" She asked both of them.

"It's a long story." Gohan dismissed. "Right now, we need to focus on _him_." Gohan said, still looking at Mordred.

"So, you got past Nehelenia?" Mordred smirked. "A shame, she was just the cold-hearted bitch I liked. Although I do love the Sprite Sisters, sometimes, they can be real airheads." He chuckled. "Rest assured I'll pay you back for that."

"Done talking now?" Gohan challenged as he summoned his aura, crackling with electricity.

"Alright everyone, let's all attack him together." The Supreme Kai whispered. Gohan and Mars nodded.

"How valiant of you to help Sailor Mars." Mordred mocked and charged forward, followed by Gohan.

He and Gohan exchanged punches and quickly landed away from each other, but Rei used the opportunity to launch a fireball right at Mordred. He grimaced and jumped away, and Gohan took the opportunity, dematerializing and appearing in front of Mordred, punching him in the face and sending him to the ground. Gohan would have followed it up, but Mordred swept him to the ground with his feet and jumped away. He looked toward Sailor Mars and sent an energy blast right toward her. She yelped and widened her eyes, but the Supreme Kai plucked her away, the blast exploding far into the sky.

Gohan got up and planted a boot on Mordred's chin, sending him into a mountain. The last Lunarian however, quickly emerged, and sent a large energy blast toward his opponent.

Gohan grimaced and deflected it with two hands.

"Mars Flame Sniper!" Rei shouted, launching another fire arrow at Mordred. He peered at it out of the corner of his eyes, but couldn't block it.

Rei looked on in glee as she saw her fire eating at him, but Mordred powered up, quickly sending the flames away with little pain to himself.

"I think that was the first time a Sailor Scout other than Saturn has managed to hit me. Impressive, your Saiyan allies have done well for you once again!" He laughed. "But you still won't win!" He smiled and powered up further, his powerful breeze blowing through the whole area.

* * *

Goku and Vegeta leapt around the dust-filled area, landing and catching their breaths, staring at one another, their electricity-filled auras surrounding their bodies.

"RRR!" Vegeta growled and rushed toward his rival, but Goku's eyes darted toward the power he felt in the distance.

"Vegeta wait!" He said, holding out his hand. "There, I felt that power surge again!" He said as he turned his head, Vegeta along with him, who stopped in mid-flight. "It must be Mordred…and he's fighting somebody, but we don't know who or how they're faring against him."

Both Saiyans looked in the direction of the power surge, their auras breezing up the entire area. Vegeta landed as he caught his breath, smirked and chuckled, and then burst into laughter. Goku's eyes focused on him in curiosity.

"HAHAHAHAHAH!" He continued, and then smiled at Goku. "It's as I thought! There's nothing to worry about, Kakarrot! This Mordred has been revealed as a weakling…at least by the measuring bar you and I have set! Is it too hard to understand, clown?" Vegeta asked as Goku continued to look at him with open-mouthed curiosity. "He may have faced Saiyans and even a Super Saiyan in his abnormal lifetime, but _nobody_ like us! Think of what the Supreme Kai said…" He continued with a triumphant smirk. "He and those Sailor Brats have been constantly surprised by our strength! Think about it, remember how they implored us not to take his followers lightly, how they struggled with all their might to overcome them in the past? These people were supposed to be their most fearsome enemies, and yet we killed the ones we encountered and barely broke a sweat as we did so!" He continued his triumphant monologue. "Think about it Kakarrot! These Sailor Brats are nothing, and the stories of their enemies are exaggerated because of their status as weaklings, I'm stupefied that those teenage girls were the ones fighting this planet's enemies during our extended vacation! We Saiyans have power that even the universe's greatest overseer didn't see coming! Mordred may have fared well against those teenyboppers, but compared to us he's sorely outclassed!"

"You're…wrong!" Goku quickly countered. "I can feel something deeper inside him! And let's not forget what Piccolo said. As of now, we can't sense the ethereal energy he emits, that's half his fighting power!"

"ENOUGH OF YOUR FEELINGS!" Vegeta raged. "You're just stalling because you know I'm going to beat you!"

"No Vegeta, I know you can sense and understand the same thing! You're just too proud to admit it!"

Vegeta grunted in frustrated anger.

* * *

Gohan and Mordred continued to exchange blows, while Rei tried to get in hits, most of which were easily repelled.

"Ah!" Rei gasped as Mordred appeared in front of her. He held out his hand and sent her flying into a nearby cliff, and made another motion, sending rocks her way.

Gohan rushed forward to defend Rei, but Mordred saw him coming and swung the Strife Mace, connecting with Gohan's temple. Both the cold steel and the magical properties of the mace had Gohan writhing in pain as he flew away toward a cliff wall, painfully crashing into it. Gohan struggled to his feet and rushed forward toward Mordred, rematerializing right in front of him. He avoided the Strife Mace, feeling the windy force of its magic right over his hair and kicked Mordred in the stomach, sending him flying away, but Mordred quickly caught himself and kicked Gohan in the face, sending _him_ flying.

"Cosmic Ray Lightning Shower!"

Gohan was startled as he felt white lightning emitted from the Strife Mace crash into his body, making him cry out in pain. Mordred materialized in front of Gohan and again hit the young half-Saiyan with the mace, sending him away.

"Gohan…" Rei choked out, hating to see another friend falling victim to Mordred.

"It's all right, we'll help him!" The Supreme Kai reassured as he pulled Rei out of the rocky wall.

Mordred snickered and turned toward them. "POSEIDON QUAKE!" He shouted and swung the mace to the ground. The ground in front of the Mace ripped apart and hit Rei, though the Supreme Kai managed to avoid the attack. Mordred calmly looked up and made a motion with his hand. A force grabbed the purple deity and sent him smacking into the ground.

"Tsk tsk." Mordred shook his head. "The overlord of the universe…I'd expect more ability than that."

Gohan's vision returned as he saw Mordred tormenting his new friends. A flash of memory came to him as he saw and heard his father.

"_Don't worry son, you've got all the power you need to beat these guys, just remember to fight with your feelings like you did against Cell. Just remember about all the people you're fighting for and how much you care about them, and let that be your weapon."_

Gohan narrowed his eyes, summoned his aura, and charged forward. Mordred startlingly turned back toward his opponent, only to see Gohan land a powerful kick to his face. Pain flooded into Mordred…it had been so long since he felt true pain.

"KA…ME…HA…ME…HAAAAA!" Gohan shouted in fury, sending a gigantic blue beam of energy straight at Mordred.

Mordred widened his eyes and raised the Strife Mace, struggling with all his might to block the powerful attack.

The Supreme Kai struggled to get Sailor Mars out of her rocky holding and rouse her to consciousness. If they could help distract Mordred, Gohan's blast just might be able to bring him down!

"Sailor Mars, get up!" The Supreme Kai beckoned.

Mars groaned as she struggled to her feet, the world blinking back to her eyes. She gasped when she saw Gohan's powerful beam and Mordred's struggle.

Gohan pushed onward, remembering his Kamehameha battle with Cell. Mordred however, finally was able to pull himself together and shouted loudly.

"HAAAAAAAAA!" He shouted and powered up.

"MARS FIREBIRD STRIKE!" Sailor Mars shouted and sent her winged bird of flame toward Mordred, who gritted and took the attack, feeling the flames singe him.

"POSEIDON QUAKE!" Mordred shouted and lowered the Strife Mace, cracking the ground beneath Gohan and sending him flying back, causing the Kamehameha wave to dart into space and harmlessly dispel. Mordred grunted in frustration and materialized in front of Gohan, who was flying backward. He held out his hands and produced a glowing large yellow orb of energy. Gohan gasped as he saw Mordred sending it right at him, point blank.

"AAAHHHHH!" Gohan screamed as he struggled with all his might against the energy blast, which sent him flying away, followed by a huge explosion.

Rei widened her eyes in shock. "Gohan…" She stammered.

The Supreme Kai gritted his teeth and rushed toward Mordred, appearing before him in the sky. The deity used his Energy's Last technique against his enemy, the glowing violet ball exploded into a beam, but Mordred flung it away with the Strife Mace, and with the same swing, hit the Supreme Kai with supreme force, followed by a small energy blast, sending him flying far away.

* * *

Goku leapt away as Vegeta rushed toward him. He blocked the Prince's punches, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"We don't have any time for this Vegeta! We need to help the others! And I dread knowing what those Numba creatures are going to be like now! We've let them down!"

"Mordred is just a sideshow! You are my only concern!"

"Everyone on Earth will be forced into a state of servitude or killed! You hear me? Bulma, Trunks, everyone!" Goku shouted in anger.

"SHUT UP!" Vegeta shouted and kneed Goku in the stomach. "SHUT…UP!" He shouted again elbowed his rival in the face. "Remember I sold my soul to Bashgal!" Vegeta said as he threw punches and knees, which Goku dodged. "I have no loyalties! I have a Saiyan heart that depends on strength alone, they're nothing to me!"

Goku frowned as he caught Vegeta's left hand. "LIAR!"

Vegeta was taken aback at Goku's word.

"I DON'T…BUY IT!" He shouted as he pulled Vegeta forward and punched him in the face, sending him crashing to the ground. "Talk all you want Vegeta, but you better convince yourself of it first!" Goku said as he frowned at the downed Prince.

Vegeta got up with a distant frown and spit blood out of his mouth.

"Fine." Vegeta muttered as he continued to stare his rival down. "You win." He smiled. "Our battle is postponed. I want you at your fullest when we fight and you're obviously too distracted."

"Vegeta!" Goku's eyes lit up.

"Well don't just stand there!" Vegeta said as he held out his hand. "Get out your Senzu Beans! We should be at full power when we face him!" He smiled as he walked toward Goku.

Goku smiled as he fingered the pouch holding the healing beans. "With all of us working together, I'm sure we can beat this guy!"

Vegeta frowned and held both hands back, ready for a powerful strike. He hammered Goku's back, sending the Saiyan to the floor with a shocked expression. Goku's hair and eyes reverted to their original black. He dropped the pouch, a bean falling out of it. Vegeta stood over his unconscious rival's body, his aura still flaring.

"So Kakarrot, even you can prove helpless when you drop your guard!" Vegeta bent down and picked up the bean, promptly eating it. "HAAAH!" He shouted as he felt his injuries heal and power flooding back into him.

"We'll finish this fight when I return, Kakarrot, enjoy your sleep." He stated coldly. Vegeta took off into the sky, speeding toward where he felt the power in the distance.

* * *

"RAAA!" Piccolo roared as he elbowed Antares in the jaw with his right arm, sending the Starchild mercenary flying toward the floor of the space station.

Antares narrowed his orange eyes and caught himself, doing multiple flips and speeding right back into the air, knocking the charging Piccolo in the face with a right hand. The Namek sped backward, caught himself, and rushed forward. The two combatants exchanged and dodged each others blows in yet another stalemate.

All of Piccolo's companions watched with nervous sweats, their eyes darting to and fro.

"SCATTER SHOT!" Piccolo shouted, sending a huge number of blasts toward Antares.

"METEOR SHOWER!" Antares countered with his own rain attack of rainbow meteorites.

Piccolo and Antares rushed toward each other again, both connecting with painful blows, Piccolo a punch on Antares' chin, and Anatares a left roundhouse to Piccolo's side. Both fighters fell to the ground in pain.

"C'mon Piccolo…get up!" Michelle muttered in encouragement.

"He'll be fine." Krillin reassured.

As soon as he said that, both combatants rose to their feet, white and orange auras flowing around them.

"I'm impressed, Namek. I haven't had a fight this good in sometime."

"Thanks." Piccolo distantly smirked.

Antares and Piccolo went back to exchanging punches and blasts.

"Dark Sword!" Antares shouted and formed the dark, flaming blade in his hand. He promptly dematerialized and reappeared in front of Piccolo, startling the Namek as he attempted to decapitate him.

Piccolo bent backward and kicked Antares in the ribs, dispelling the sword and causing the Astravul considerable pain. Piccolo followed it up with a second kick, sending Antares into the sky.

"Scatter Shot!" He shouted, sending bright balls of energy after his opponent.

As Antares was dodging, Piccolo appeared right in front of him with two fingers of his right hand on his head. Antares widened his eyes in shock and events seemed to slow down as Piccolo's voice resounded.

"Special…Beam…CANNON!"

Antares gasped and groaned in pain as he felt the Namek's attack pierce right through his lower stomach, singing his guts. The orange straight-and-spiral beam flowed through the open hole for a second or so, crashing into the wall and causing an explosion. Antares choked on the blood in his mouth as he fell to the ground.

Even though Antares was an enemy, Krillin, Amara, Michelle, and Trista couldn't help but feel a bit sad for him as he thudded on the floor. He had put up a valiant fight. They watched Piccolo float back down and stand over his fallen body.

"You've won against me…Namek." Antares coughed out more orange blood. "But more are coming; you won't stop Lord Bashgal…"

Piccolo frowned and blasted his head, deatomizing it. He heard his companions rush toward him as the headless body now smoked.

"Good fight, Piccolo." Krillin complimented.

"You had us all worried for a while!" Michelle smiled.

Piccolo smiled back.

"We should be worried." Trista sighed with a saddened expression. "He was only the first of many…and the Numba could have only been strengthened by that fight, as well as all the others. Plus, we still have the Sprite Sisters, and most of all, Mordred to contend with. …We're in big trouble."

All five looked downward, as they knew the Soldier of Time's words were true. Piccolo closed his eyes as he made his turban and cape reappear on his body, eliciting laughs from the Outers.

A door appeared at the end of the catwalk.

"Let's go." Piccolo beckoned and opened his eyes.

"Piccolo, even though it was a bad situation, it was a privilege to watch you fight today." Amara complimented. "We've never seen you fight nearly like that before."

Piccolo smirked as all five walked through the door. They appeared on a cliff.

"…We're outside the Lair!" Trista declared as they looked at their surroundings.

"Mordred!" Michelle gasped.

All five instinctively ducked behind the cliffs as they saw a fully armored Mordred floating some distance away.

"Sailor Mars…what's she doing there all alone?" Amara looked on; only here eyes and the top of her head were visible above the rocks.

* * *

Rei stood stunned as Mordred floated right back down to the ground, completely calm. Her body ached. She felt multiple sprains and nasty cuts. Her mind told her to run, but there was no running.

"Mars Flame…!"

Mordred pointed the head of the Strife Mace right at Sailor Mars.

"SNIPER!"

"Blazar." Mordred calmly stated, sending a blue-hot beam of magical power right at her. The beam easily overcame Mars' flame arrow and pierced her entire chest, burning right through her and emerged out the other side like a hot knife through butter.

Sailor Mars smiled as she felt herself being burned inside. She would not let him have the pleasure of her scream; she would not help to release Bashgal. She had done her duty to her Princess…and that's all that mattered. Her smile grew as her long black hair fanned out in a halo.

"Meatball Head…I'll see you again, someday."

With that, the image of Mordred and the surrounding area faded away, and Rei Hino's life left her body.

* * *

"Rei!" Michelle gasped and began to tear up.

Trista likewise gasped in shocked sadness.

Amara narrowed her eyes in tearful anger.

"Don't go charging in there!" Piccolo muttered. "We can't just go right in; otherwise we'll end up like her!"

"Well…any suggestions?" Krillin asked in fear.

All five of their expressions piqued from sadness and fear to curious shock as they felt a huge power rushing toward the scene.

* * *

**I did this all in one day…today! Thanks everyone, and keep on reviewing.**


	14. Let it Die

Mordred looked upon Rei's dead body, her eyes lifeless, her mouth quirked up into some sort of pathetic smile. Her center of mass had been completely burned away, it was a hollow hole, but there was no blood due to the intense heat of the Blazar attack.

"Stupid girl." Mordred muttered dryly, his face showing no expression under his menacing helmet. "Hm?" He muttered curiously and shifted his eyes toward a rather large energy signature he felt coming his way. A yellow glow lit up a small part of the sky, coming closer. Soon, he could make out a figure surrounded by a golden flame crackling with lightning bolts. Mordred sneeringly smirked as the figure touched down about twenty feet away from him. "So Vegeta, did you have a good time in your little duel?"

Vegeta only frowned at him, taking note of the dead body. She was that loud-mouthed woman.

"You're too late if you wanted to save Mars." He grinned under his helmet.

"I'm here to tell you that your time is up." Vegeta remained calm. "I also know that you're the one that killed Gohan!"

* * *

Piccolo gasped as his ears tingled at the sound from Vegeta's mouth.

"Piccolo! What is it, what's wrong?" Trista asked, standing next to him on the cliff overlooking the scene. Krillin, Amara, and Michelle all looked at the Namek curiously.

"PLUTO!" A high voice interrupted just as he was about to speak.

All five gasped as they saw a pink-haired girl bubbling over to Trista with a huge smile on her face.

"I'm so glad to see you!" She chimed.

"Hey Trunks isn't that your dad?" Goten asked.

"Yeah! And that must be that Mordred dude!"

"Stay back!" Piccolo grunted as the two half-Saiyan boys rushed toward the ledge overlooking the scene.

"Hotaru!" Michelle gasped as she saw her adopted daughter jump over a rock and land at the ledge, crouching down to look at the scene with hardness in her deep purple eyes.

Rini gasped and Hotaru narrowed her eyes in alert sadness when they saw Rei's body.

"REI!" Rini began to tear up. "Pluto, what happened?"

Tears began to flow down Trista's face as well. She knelt down to hug her longtime friend.

"I'm sorry, Mordred killed her."

Rini looked up at Pluto and her companions. Amara and Michelle were there, as well as two new faces she hadn't met, but knew were on their side.

"And you guys just stood there and didn't even try to help her?" Rini asked in confused sadness.

"Rini…we got here just as it happened…there was nothing we could have done…" Michelle tried to explain.

Hotaru looked at her friend, several tears coming out of her eyes.

Trista finally ended the embrace and stood up, narrowing her eyes. "Small Lady." She stated with authority. "And this goes for Hotaru and you boys as well." This got their curious attention. "You all must not interfere in this fight under any conditions."

Rini tearfully looked to see Amara, Michelle, and their large green companion giving expressions that said the same thing.

"But…Rei…" Rini weakly objected.

"Don't worry Rini, my dad's the strongest guy around!" Trunks bragged. "He'll take this guy down no problem!"

* * *

"I killed your ancestor, you know. I'll be very happy when I kill another Vegeta in our little duel to the death. Two Super Saiyans, one Sailor Soldier, and possibly the Supreme Kai all in one day. I'm on a role." Mordred smirked, sure of victory.

Vegeta grunted and powered up, surrounding himself with his flaming aura. He rushed forward and implanted his fist into Mordred's right cheek, followed by a roundhouse kick that sent him to the ground, sliding back several feet and creating a small ditch along the way. Vegeta took off into the air and formed an energy ball in his hand, throwing it down at Mordred as he saw him getting up.

A large yellow explosion shook the area, spewing brown dust high above the ground. Vegeta looked down at his work with a hard expression, but when the dust cleared, Mordred stood calmly looking up at his adversary, the sun glinting off his black armor. Vegeta gritted his teeth as Mordred smirked under his helmet. Mordred posed somewhat, turning his right shoulder toward Vegeta and in the blink of an eye was behind him. Vegeta opened his mouth slightly in surprise, and soon felt a painful kick to his back.

Vegeta flipped and landed on his feet in good order. He rushed at Mordred who landed opposite him and threw punches and kicks, which Mordred blocked. Mordred just as soon began his own offensive, which Vegeta blocked or dodged. This exchange lasted for a minute or so. Vegeta then landed an uppercut on Mordred's stomach, followed by another directly under his chin, sending him flying high into the sky. Vegeta soared up into the air and flew behind him, smashing the traitor's back with a sideways double axe handle. Mordred rocketed back toward the ground, making holes in the clouds as he sped through and plunged head first into the ground, causing rocky debris to fly everywhere. Vegeta materialized in front of Mordred, who threw a punch at him, but the Prince of Saiyans dodged it and roundhouse kicked his enemy in the face, sending him crashing into a cliff. Mordred's body made a small dent in the wall and he sat in a slumped position, head down.

"HAHAHAH!" Vegeta laughed. "IS THIS IT BASHGAL? IS THIS YOUR TERRIFYING HIGH PRIEST? PATHETIC!"

* * *

"Yeah! All right! Didn't I tell you? My dad's the best!" Trunks cheered, flailing his arms about.

"Your dad's cool!" Goten smiled.

Rini chimed in laughter. She'd never seen anyone fare that well against Mordred before…not by a long shot, not even Sailor Moon or Sailor Saturn. "Oh yeah!" She high-fived Goten and Trunks.

Even Hotaru smiled, showing cautious optimism.

"Wow…and here I thought he couldn't get any cockier." Krillin muttered sarcastically.

Piccolo meanwhile, grimaced in caution of his own. He stood with the other three adult Outer Scouts while Krillin voluntarily stayed close to the kids.

"Something's happened to Vegeta…" He muttered.

"Hm?" Amara noised, glancing at Piccolo.

"What do you mean, Piccolo?" Michelle asked in wonder.

"Even for a Super Saiyan he seems unnaturally strong…" Piccolo continued as Mordred got up from his small crater.

Trista, standing on Piccolo's immediate left narrowed her garnet eyes in caution as she shifted her glance toward the Namek.

* * *

Vegeta rushed toward Mordred, who threw a punch his way, but the Saiyan Prince dodged it and kicked him in the face, causing Bashgal's second to stagger back. He followed it up with a crushing elbow that sent Mordred straight back to the ground, and a kick that sent him rolling away, crashing to the ground several times before finally coming to rest.

* * *

"Amazing…" Piccolo continued as Vegeta rushed forward, punching and kicking at a Mordred who tried vainly to block all of his attacks. "Do you feel his energy? It's enormous! I haven't sensed anything like this since…since Gohan fought Cell!"

This caused the Outers to gasp, as Piccolo did not recall the infamous battle with Cell often.

"But Mordred was able to kill Gohan!" Piccolo continued, eliciting an even larger gasp.

"No!" Michelle objected.

"Not Gohan too!" Amara said in shock, her dark green eyes wide.

"I only hope that Vegeta doesn't suffer the same fate, he's the last chance we've got!" Piccolo said as a nervous sweat formed on his brow. "If he fails…no…Vegeta you can't fail! Unless Goku reappears, all of our lives…this whole world depends on you!"

* * *

Vegeta once again dodged a punch from Mordred and connected with his own, sending the Lunarian once again spiraling into the dirt. As soon as he was up Vegeta was upon him again, but Mordred dematerialized. He reappeared and kicked Vegeta, sending him head-first into a cliff wall. In an instant, a yellow flash erupted from the rocks, and Vegeta burst out, surrounded by an aura of flame. Mordred narrowed his eyes and held out his hands, sending a red energy blast toward Vegeta.

Vegeta grimaced as he flicked away Mordred's energy blast, dematerializing and appearing before him, connecting with a spinning backhand to the Lunarian traitor's face, causing him to stagger. He followed it up with a kick that sent Mordred flying, but he caught himself and swept Vegeta off his feet as he charged. Mordred followed the sweep up with a hooking punch that sent Vegeta crashing into the ground several times, followed by the Saiyan sliding away, creating a ditch.

The Prince of All Saiyans jumped to his feet as Mordred charged and the two exchanged blows once more, trading offense and defense among themselves. Vegeta landed yet another kick that sent Mordred tumbling to the ground, he slid in the dirt, face first. Vegeta frowned and wiped off some blood from his mouth.

* * *

"Well…he seems to be holding his own so far." Michelle said in cautious hope.

"None of us have ever done _that_ to him before…" Amara agreed.

"No." Hotaru finally spoke, coming over to stand beside Trista. "Something's not right."

"What is it, Hotaru?" Trista asked.

"Look at Mordred's armor…there's not a dent on it."

Piccolo, the Outers, and Krillin peered hard at the sight and found that she was correct.

"As furious as Vegeta's attacks may appear on the surface, they don't seem to be doing much damage to Mordred…he just keeps coming back for more! He may not be fighting to his fullest extent."

"If that's the case…" Trista trailed.

Piccolo's nervous sweat grew with each one of Hotaru's words.

* * *

Mordred pushed himself up and began to laugh.

"HAHAHAHAHAH! AHAHAHAHAH!" He bellowed. Vegeta stared curiously as he watched Mordred casually dust off his cape. "Pain…so many days have passed since I've felt it! You and that other boy have done better than most…but now it's time to be serious." He smirked under his helmet.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes in a menacing frown and got ready for the next round. He wasn't expecting what would happen next.

Mordred smirked and raised his left hand, flicking his wrist. This act sent a medium-sized, jagged rock crashing into Vegeta's temple.

Vegeta cried out and staggered sideways, blood gushing out of the wound. Mordred sneered and opened his right palm, the Strife Mace popping out of thin air into his hand.

"Poseidon Quake!" Mordred shouted and smashed his mace to the ground. The ground split apart, but Vegeta avoided the fissure just at the last minute by dematerializing. Mordred sensed Vegeta reappear behind him and he caught Vegeta's hook. Mordred chuckled at Vegeta's widened eyes and swung the Strife Mace. Both the cold, enchanted steel and the magical push of the mace sent Vegeta flying hard into the nearest cliff wall.

* * *

"It's over." Hotaru somberly declared. "Vegeta cannot win this fight alone."

The Outers and Rini looked on in familiar sadness while Piccolo, Krillin, Goten and Trunks widened their eyes in shock. They all hoped she was wrong.

* * *

Mordred stared hard at the rock crevice for around thirty seconds, until Vegeta came bursting forth once again.

"RAAA!" Vegeta growled as he rushed at Mordred, punching and kicking at him. Vegeta landed a right hook on Mordred's check, but the Lunarian quickly responded with a spinning elbow into Vegeta's solar plexus. "AAHHHH!" Vegeta widened his eyes and opened his mouth in pain as blood gushed out. Mordred followed the elbow up with a shoulder throw, sending Vegeta crashing to the ground. Mordred made to strike Vegeta with his mace, but Vegeta threw a kick that landed on Mordred's face, followed up by a rising uppercut that sent him flipping away. They landed on their feet at the same time and Vegeta turned around, holding out his palm, and sent a huge blue ball of energy toward Mordred.

Vegeta was shocked when he saw his attack dispelled by Mordred, who held up the Strife Mace. Vegeta rushed at Mordred in anger, but he stopped him in his aerial tracks by holding out his hand, then clenching his fist. Vegeta felt the crushing of his windpipe by Mordred's telekinesis. Mordred finally released him by hitting him square in the chest with an energy blast. Vegeta flew on the yellow ball until it exploded, lighting up the area in a glow.

When the dust cleared Vegeta held tightly onto his left shoulder, cuts and bruises all over his body, blood pouring down his face. One could see the frustration and anger in Vegeta's eyes, even the one that glowed from Nehelenia's spell of earlier.

"All too easy Vegeta. I did expect more from an Ascended Super Saiyan. You and your race disappoint me."

Vegeta raged and rushed toward Mordred, but he held out his left hand, shocking Vegeta with lightning bolts emitted from his fingers.

"AAAHHH!" Vegeta screamed out, flooding the whole area with the sound of his pain.

* * *

"No…my dad!" Trunks said with a saddened frown. "He's in trouble, we need to help him!"

"Trunks!" Trista immediately huffed toward him. "I told you all under no conditions are you to interfere!"

Trunks turned his head toward her with an expression much like his father. "Hey lady, I don't know you, and you're telling me what to do with my own father? Well I'm going to help!" Trunks said angrily and turned Super Saiyan.

Trista was taken aback by his expression, especially as a Super Saiyan. Trunks disappeared. Goten turned Super Saiyan and immediately followed.

"I need to help too!" Rini declared.

"SMALL LADY!" Trista shouted in concern, but she couldn't catch Rini in time, she jumped away.

Hotaru hardened her eyes and raised her right hand. A sharp sounded pitched through the air and Krillin widened his eyes as he saw a menacing-looking weapon appear in Hotaru's hand.

"Hotaru, not you too!" Michelle shouted in concern.

The girl ignored her, placing her left hand on the bottom of the Silence Glaive and back flipped over the edge of the cliff, rushing toward the scene of the fight.

"Should we go after them?" Krillin asked, terrified to face Mordred.

"No." Piccolo immediately answered. "Everyone stay back! Vegeta will handle this!"

Amara nervously grimaced. "You better be right, Piccolo."

* * *

Mordred sucked his teeth as he stopped the barrage of lightning, but the damage was done, he'd brought the mighty Prince of Saiyans to his knees. He was still clutching his left shoulder, and the cuts and bruises on his body expanded, added with burns from the lightning.

"Well…a shame really. You could have been a wonderful soldier of Bashgal, but you disobeyed and turned against him and myself. Too bad." Mordred sucked his teeth again and pointed the head of the Strife Mace at Vegeta, who looked at him angrily on his knees. "Well…this is it. Goodbye, Vegeta."

Vegeta widened his eyes when he saw a blazing blue-hot beam erupt out of the Strife Mace. He closed his eyes, expecting the end.

"SILENT WALL!"

Vegeta immediately opened his eyes at the high-sounding voice of a young girl to see Mordred's attack harmlessly dispelled against an invisible barrier.

"Sailor Saturn!" Mordred seethed as he saw the black-haired girl twirling her glaive, standing defensively in front of Vegeta. "As if two near death experiences weren't enough!"

Sailor Saturn hardened her eyes and clutched her glaive, preparing to fight.

"Very well then, but this time I won't let you live! I don't care anymore if you're the Dukes daughter!"

"I don't think so!" A higher pitched voice shouted out. "Pink Sugar…Heart Attack!"

Mordred mocked with his concealed eyes, but soon felt a stinging pain in his groin as Sailor Chibi Moon's pink hearts hit him in the balls.

"OW!" Mordred sounded out and collapsed to his knees. "OW! OH! OW! STOP! OW! OW!"

Vegeta turned from curiosity to laughter at the sight. He then felt two powers appearing.

Mordred widened his eyes to see two very young Super Saiyans materialize and kick him in the cheek, sending him into a cliff wall. Saturn immediately jumped toward him and held up her glaive.

"Silence Glaive Surprise!" She called out.

Mordred widened his eyes when he saw a purple-white sphere erupt out of the blade of the Silence Glaive, growing larger until it surrounded Saturn's entire body. Purple and white beams shot out into the sky and silence filled the area as Saturn lowered her glaive to release some of its power. A huge explosion then rocked the area, sending Mordred screaming and flying back.

"Wow…cool!" Goten said with a smile.

Trunks narrowed his eyes. "Let's follow it up!"

The two boys nodded at each other and dematerialized, appearing in front of Mordred.

"Kamehameha!" Goten shouted and released the blue beam of energy from his cupped hands.

"Big Tree Cannon!" Trunks followed and cupped his hands, releasing a large yellow beam.

"Ack!" Mordred grimaced as both attacks hit him at once, sending him flying through several cliffs far away.

The two rushed back to Vegeta, who though sitting up, was in a large amount of pain.

"Trunks…my son!"

"I can't believe this!" Trunks said to his friends. "You guys know my dad is a prince right?"

"A prince?" Goten asked.

"That's right! My mom said that my dad is the Prince of every single Saiyan! There's no way he can lose to a goon like Mordred!"

"But that's why we're helping him!" Goten said.

"Now hold still, Vegeta." Saturn said calmly as she put her glaive on the ground.

Vegeta opened his eyes in bewilderment as he saw a purple glow surround her two hands. Saturn's eyes were closed and the purple glow flowed through her hair. Vegeta felt several of his cuts, bruises, and burns heal.

Goten and Trunks' eyes bulged in curiosity.

Saturn opened her eyes again and stood up with Vegeta. "That's the best I can do…" She said.

"At least most of the wounds are gone!" Chibi Moon encouraged her friend.

"Now let's get this mean Mordred!" Trunks said, getting into fighting stance.

"Trunks…take care of your mother." Vegeta ordered.

"Why would you say that? Dad! Why do you want me to take care of mom? Are you going somewhere?"

Vegeta stood, looking distantly in the direction Mordred was blasted to. "I want you all to leave and get far away from here! As for Mordred, I'll fight him alone." He declared.

Saturn narrowed her eyes in sadness, clutching her glaive tightly. "Vegeta…"

"Don't do that!" Goten objected.

"Goten's right! We'll fight with you! You don't want to get killed do you? You've got to let us help you!"

"Yeah! Look what we all did together so far!" Chibi Moon agreed.

"Yeah!" Goten said.

"We'll all fight together Vegeta, you can't win on your own!" Saturn declared.

"See? We're with you!" Trunks assured.

"Stop it!" Vegeta scoffed. "It's too dangerous for you. I will finish this by myself."

"C'mon, it'll be easier to beat him with me, Trunks, Rini, and Hotaru!" Goten declared.

"We'll gang up on him, just like now! He won't know what hit him!" Trunks smiled.

"We're tough; we can beat that nasty old guy even without your help!" Goten smiled, then he and Trunks promptly covered their mouths.

"Trunks…you are my only son and yet I haven't held you once since you were a baby have I?" Vegeta asked. He turned toward Trunks. "Come here son." He then put an arm around him.

"Dad, what's wrong? This is embarrassing!"

Chibi Moon and Saturn smiled.

"C'mon, cut it out!

Vegeta stared down at a smiling Trunks for a long while. Goten watched in curiosity, sucking his thumb while Saturn and Chibi Moon still smiled.

"Trunks, there's something you must know." Vegeta finally said. "You've made me proud, my son." He smiled.

Trunks stared up with open mouthed curiosity, but Vegeta chopped him in the neck, making him lose his Super Saiyan state and his consciousness.

"What did you do to him?" Goten asked angrily as Chibi Moon and Saturn's mouths opened and eyes widened. "Why did you do that?" Goten continued, gritting his teeth. What's wrong with you, why did you do that to Trunks? You might have killed him! Why? Are you crazy? Why?"

* * *

Piccolo, Krillin, and the Outers stared down at the scene.

"Looks like he's 'handling it.'" Amara quoted Piccolo.

* * *

"What did you do? Tell me, why did you do that to Trunks?" Goten asked distraught as he shook Vegeta. "You're his dad! Dad's aren't supposed to do bad things to their sons! Why did you hit him? Why did you hurt him like that? Why? Why?"

Vegeta finally bent down and punched Goten in the stomach. The boy sank to his knees groaning in pain, losing his Super Saiyan state and then sunk to the floor in unconsciousness.

Chibi Moon gasped. "Hey!" She frowned. "You're really mean! All they wanted to do was help you!" She cried out as Vegeta walked over to her, then she widened her eyes in shock and fear.

Vegeta frowned and chopped her in the temple. Her red eyes widened as she fell to the ground in unconsciousness, losing her Sailor form and reverting back into a civilian. He next turned his attention to Sailor Saturn.

The girl frowned and prepared to defend herself with her glaive.

Vegeta frowned. He had seen first hand what Piccolo described, he knew just how dangerous this girl really was, as hard as it was to believe. He dematerialized and appeared in front of her.

Saturn's purple eyes widened and she gasped. Vegeta grimaced and threw a knee into her stomach. Saturn groaned in pain, she'd never felt pain like that before. She dropped her glaive and crumbled to the ground, reverting back to civilian form and losing consciousness, the Silence Glaive disappearing.

Piccolo and Trista immediately took off, landing in front of the Prince of all Saiyans. They walked in front of Vegeta and shared an intense stare. In a moment, all three of them turned their heads to feel Mordred approaching the scene once more.

"Hurry! Get them as far away from here as possible, go now!"

"Of course." Piccolo agreed as he picked up Trunks and Goten, while Trista took Rini and Hotaru, managing to balance both of them while holding her Garnet Rod. Vegeta walked forward.

"You'll die, you know that." Piccolo stated.

Vegeta turned to stare at him, and then Trista.

"You!" He got her curious attention. "You guard the Gate of Time and Space, correct? So you should have the answer to this question. Tell me, will I meet that clown, Kakarrot in the Other World?"

Trista and Piccolo shared a glance.

"I won't lie to you Vegeta. Goku devoted his life to protecting the lives of others. Because of his actions, he was allowed to keep his body when he died. You on the other hand have fought only for your own selfish desires. Even though in recent years you've been nominally on the side of good, you have caused much pain along the way. When you die, you will not receive the same reward. You might even wind up in hell."

Vegeta smiled and closed his eyes. "Oh well, so be it."

They all turned to see the dust from Mordred's flight approaching in the distance.

"That will be all. Get out of here, now!"

* * *

Piccolo and Trista took off, speeding into the distance. Amara, Michelle, and Krillin quickly followed.

"Here, take her!" Trista said as she handed Hotaru to Michelle in midair.

Michelle grabbed Hotaru in a hug, looking at her peaceful, resting body with a smile.

* * *

Mordred finally reappeared.

"Where's your little allies Vegeta? You thought you'd get rid of me that easily?"

Vegeta smirked. "YES! You're just a big coward; even a child could beat you!" He taunted.

Mordred growled in anger. "Children huh? I guess I'll just show you again!" He gritted his teeth behind his great helm.

Vegeta laughed. He then peered distantly at Rei's dead body, looking into her blank eyes. He summoned his aura around him.

"Time to die." Mordred stated calmly.

Vegeta laughed. He rushed toward Mordred and landed a punch on his face, followed by a kick that sent him into the cliff wall near Rei's body. "You're a fool! I'm going to crush you…and throw you into the wind!" He declared, his aura now swirling, the flame spiraling into the sky. Rocks were destroyed by the intense power he emitted. "_Trunks, Bulma, I do this for you!_" Vegeta thought, his aura sparkling. "_And yes, even for you, Kakarrot!_"

"Huh?" Mordred said as he saw the sparkles. "What?" Mordred uttered in shock.

"HAHHAHAAHHAAAHHHH!" Vegeta shouted at the top of his lungs, a large explosion of energy emitting from him, destroying all in its path.

"Uaa!" Mordred shouted, desperately raising the Strife Mace.

"AHHHAHAHAHAHHH!" Vegeta continued to shout, his body completely engulfed in his own explosion.

* * *

"Incredible!" Amara looked on in shock with the others from far away as the explosion of energy continued to expand even greater.

"What an enormous blast of energy!" Michelle seconded, still holding Hotaru in a hug.

"Vegeta…" Krillin trailed as he looked on at the still expanding explosion, his hair and clothes flailing in the wind. "VEGETAAAAA!" He shouted, the blast now like a second sun on Earth, its rays filling his eyes.

"UHHH!" Piccolo closed his eyes and grimaced at the intense brightness.

* * *

"HAAAHHHAAHHHHAHHHH!" Vegeta continued to shout and put out more energy, destroying everything in its path. "HAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

"RRRRARGGG!" Mordred shouted, struggling with all his might as the blast consumed him.

* * *

Piccolo, Krillin, and the Outers flew away with all due speed, tumbling a bit even as far away as they were from the force of the blast. All five looked on in shock as they were blown back.

When it was over, a Vegeta of stone was in the air, above a huge crater in the Earth, in the midst of a storm. It held a shocked expression on its face, and then tumbled down, breaking apart on the ground.

* * *

All four of the Sprite Sisters felt the power being emitted near the lair, and sensed Mordred being consumed.

"Master Mordred!" They all said at once and rushed toward the scene, leaving their respective opponents in bewilderment.

* * *

"It's…over…" Krillin trailed.

"I can't sense Mordred or Vegeta…" Trista said as she closed her eyes, and then looked down at Small Lady under her left arm and smiled.

"Here, take them." Piccolo beckoned as he handed Goten to Amara and Trunks to Krillin. "Krillin…take them to the Lookout, we'll regroup there. I'd like to go and pay my respects."

"Sure thing." Krillin agreed.

"Does this mean we finally get to see your home, Piccolo?" Michelle smiled.

"Yeah." Piccolo smiled back. "Go on, now."

"Right." They all said at once.

Amara smiled as she sped off, following Krillin and looking down at the resting Goten she cradled in her arms. He was so powerful yet only an innocent-looking child. "You're safe now, kid." Her smile grew.

Piccolo found the huge crater, but no trace of Vegeta. He also noticed that Rei's body was gone too, no doubt vaporized in the explosion. Not a sign of life was around. Even Mordred's lair had been reduced to rubble, green shards lying amidst the rocks.

"I see…you couldn't take him out with a normal blast, he'd most likely dispel it. The only way to win was to blow everything around to bits." Piccolo observed. "Well Vegeta…you did it." Piccolo closed his eyes. "Goodbye…my friend." Piccolo continued to somberly close his eyes, but around a minute later, he heard a stirring in a pile of rubble one hundred yards away.

Piccolo widened his eyes in shock when he saw a black gauntleted hand come out of the rubble and move around. It pushed a rock away and he gasped in stunned shock when he saw a moving helmeted head followed by a right arm. More and more of the body emerged, but Piccolo sped off, not believing what he was seeing.

"M…Mordred…! _We're done for!_" He thought. "_How can we fight against a guy with power like that? And he's only second to Bashgal!_"

A few minutes later, the speeding Piccolo caught up to the others.

"Well, what's the deal Piccolo? Is Mordred dead?" Krillin asked with a sarcastic smile but was taken aback by Piccolo's stunned expression.

"N…no!"

Everyone gasped.

"I saw him moving…he's still alive!" Piccolo continued.

"But how could he survive a blast like that?" Amara immediately objected.

"He did." Piccolo frowned with a sweat.

Trista exhaled a nervous sigh and closed her eyes. She and the others had gone from relief to agony in a split-second.

"And to think…we thought it was all over…" Michelle choked back a tear.

"What do we do now…?" Amara trailed. "How can we beat somebody like that…?"


	15. Painful Preparations

"Really? That's so weird…" Serena trailed as she spoke on her communicator to Sailors Venus, Mercury, and Jupiter. "Something big must have happened if they were gonna just fly off like that…"

"Yeah well, can you come and get us now? This desert heat is so not comfortable!" Venus whined.

"We'll be right over!" Serena assured. "Well…at least we know they're all right." She sighed once the communication ended.

"Bulma, you wouldn't mind going to pick them up, right?" Darien asked.

"Oh no, that's not a problem." She answered. "But I think you guys should really ask Goku and the others to teach you how to fly!"

"Yeah…I see what you mean." Darien smiled, but then narrowed his eyes. "But what about the others? How are they doing?"

"I don't know why…" Artemis began. "But I feel like something really bad happened out there…I can just feel it in my bones."

Luna and Diana looked at him with concerned eyes, followed by the rest.

"We better hurry up and find the Dragonballs." Yamcha stated. "We're going to need them!"

* * *

Piccolo, Krillin, the Outers, and the unconscious kids finally arrived at the Lookout, landing at the entrance.

"Wow!" Michelle gasped in astonishment. "Piccolo, you've been holding out on me! This is a beautiful place! I only wish I had my art supplies with me, this would make a great painting, or more!"

"The artist in you will never rest, will it?" Amara smirked as they all walked forward through the column of palm trees and toward the structure.

Michelle closed her eyes in sarcasm. "I'm allowed, aren't I? Rest assured I'll be coming back here when this is all over."

Trista was much more serious, only looking ahead. She saw another green figure akin to Piccolo and a black genie running out of the main entrance to the Lookout's building.

"How are you all doing?" The Namek asked. "Oh hi!" He greeted Piccolo's female friends. "You guys must be the Sailor Scouts of the Outer Solar System. I know about you and your work, and Piccolo has always spoken highly of you. I'm the Guardian of the Earth, Dende, and this is my assistant, Mr. Popo. It's nice to meet you all, finally. Please, make yourselves at home."

The three young women greeted and introduced themselves.

"Please, don' tell me the children have been hurt!" Mr. Popo said in concern.

"No, they're fine; Vegeta just knocked them out so they wouldn't interfere. They just need to rest for a little while." Piccolo assured.

"Oh, thank goodness!" The black genie breathed in relief.

"Then we should get them to bed. Mr. Popo will take them." Dende suggested.

"Of course, I just washed the sheets yesterday, and I put fresh pillowcases on them this morning!" Mr. Popo said as he took the boys.

"I'll help you, Mr. Popo." Michelle volunteered. "You shouldn't take all four of them at once. Trista, give me Rini."

Trista put Rini under Michelle's left arm, the right arm still embracing Hotaru. Amara smiled, she knew Michelle volunteered because she wanted to see more of the place so she can use it in a painting or two.

"Please, follow me, Sailor Neptune." Mr. Popo beckoned.

* * *

"So, I take it we haven't made any headway against Mordred?" Dende asked once they returned. All of the Outers were now in civilian form.

"I'm afraid not." Piccolo grunted.

"We've been divided and hit pretty hard." Trista said with somber garnet eyes. "We're still not even sure where the other Sailors are, most importantly of course, Sailor Moon. If something's happened to her…"

"I know it's been hard." Dende stated. "I've been sensing the whole battle."

"Then you can tell us how Goku's doing, is he ok?" Krillin asked with a grin.

"Well it's difficult to kill a man who's already dead." Dende smiled. "And don't worry about Princess Serenity, the Supreme Kai sent her away from the battle. The other Sailors are fine as well; it seems the Sprite Sisters left them alone after they sensed Vegeta blowing himself up."

The three breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"Guess you got a point about Goku!" Krillin laughed. "What about Gohan, is he really dead?"

"I can't sense him, I'm sorry." Dende said somberly.

"Gohan…" Krillin trailed.

"Speaking of the Supreme Kai, what about him? Have you had any better luck sensing him than I have?" Piccolo asked. "There's no way to make a plan unless we figure out who we have left to work with."

"I can sense him!" Dende smiled. "All of you look with me!"

"Yes! It's faint but it's still there!" Piccolo said as the others smiled. "The fight must have been masking it!"

"Perhaps you'd all think better if you ate the meal I just pulled out of the oven!" Mr. Popo returned to the scene and smiled. "That's what Goku would do!"

Amara smiled. "I could go for that right now. We haven't eaten since before the tournament began."

"Yes." Michelle smiled as well. "No use in thinking when you're so hungry."

"Why not? Let's eat!" Dende suggested with a smile.

Krillin grinned and rushed in, his stomach growling, the others followed.

Piccolo slowly walked forward. "_Gohan, have you really left us my friend? I can't feel it in my heart…_" He thought, noticing that Trista stood at the entrance, giving him a serious stare. Piccolo's cape blew in the wind, and he moved to catch up with her, the two entering the building together.

* * *

"Gohan…" The Supreme Kai choked, desperately trying to find the young half-Saiyan, his wounded body stumbling around. "Go…han… you must survive…you may be…our only hope…you have to hold on!" He stumbled and fell to the ground, and widened his eyes when he sensed two negative energies approaching. The Kai dived into a rocky crevice, hurting himself in the process, fearing for his life as he saw Scylla and Charybdis flying past the scene (though they were now in their humanoid forms). He gritted his teeth in nervousness and waited a couple of minutes after they passed before continuing to stumble on. "Gohan…we can't do this without you! I'll find you! I promise!"

* * *

A man woke up in the middle of nowhere, grunting as he struggled up.

"_Man, I feel like I was run over by a train!_" Goku thought, looking around. "Oh, yeah now I remember! Vegeta, it figures! First he knocks me out cold then he takes the last Senzu Bean for himself!" He said aloud, remembering the incident. "_I wonder how the others are doing?_" He thought as he stood up. "I can still sense Mordred, but not Vegeta or Gohan! Something's happened!" He turned to a different direction. "Hm…I can finally sense Krillin and Piccolo again! They must be out of their dimensional mazes. They probably know what's going on! I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Gohan." He then put two fingers to his head and disappeared.

* * *

"Now that our stomachs are full…" Trista began. "Piccolo, do we have a chance? Now that you've finally seen Mordred, I'd like your assessment."

"Given what I've seen combined with what we know is coming, and compared to what we currently have…I'd say no."

Dende frowned in sadness.

"I hate to say it…but this time I really don't think it's possible. He's beaten us many times before, and this time he's brushed off two Super Saiyans like they were nothing." Amara said, looking down. "I don't know how we can possibly stand against such a power."

And we can't even use the Dragonballs to wish back the Duke of Tranquility, because he no longer exists…" Dende frowned in sadness, having heard the story during their dining.

"I'm already sensing perturbations in the timeline." Trista said with the same sad expression. "I hate to add to this sad parade, but unless something is done, they will grow…"

"What can we possibly do…it seems so hopeless!" Amara shouted in frustration, clenching her fist. "We've failed! After all we've done to save this world, this time it's truly the end!"

"Don't go that far yet, Amara." Piccolo countered. "The odds might seem bleak, but ever since I saw Goku transform into a Super Saiyan, I don't rule anything out.

"So…you're saying we need a miracle to win, but you've seen them happen before." Dende stated.

"Amara…"

She widened her eyes in surprise when she found Michelle reassuringly holding her hand, gazing up into her eyes sweetly. They fiddled around, intertwining their fingers. "Don't say such negative things. Remember…when we thought Pharaoh 90 would destroy the world, and Sailor Saturn appeared, to our great surprise, to fight against him? See? We've seen miracles in our own travels as well."

Her green eyes widened even further.

"Just when it appears that all is lost…something comes along and a new light shines on a new path. There's always a way, we just have to find it!"

No sooner had she finished then a man in an orange gi appeared from seemingly thin air. They all turned their heads in curiosity.

"Goku!" All of them shouted at once.

"Goku, is that really you?" Krillin asked.

"Hi!" Goku responded with a smile.

"He's real! He talks and everything!" Krillin laughed, while the rest smiled, happy to see him again. "You're alive!"

"Well, I'm about as alive as a dead guy can be!"

"Look at you!" Krillin said as he ran up to him, followed by the others. "Let's get those injuries taken care of!"

"A Senzu Bean, great!"

"We've got something far better than that, if Dende's willing to do some healing that is!"

Dende smiled. "I'm honored to be able to help."

Goku sat down and Dende healed him. After his injuries disappeared, Goku thanked the Guardian, standing up with fire in his eyes.

"What happened while I've been away?" Goku asked.

"Very bad things I'm afraid." Trista answered as they all walked to the front stoop, where Goku sat down. "Mordred went on a rampage, but we have other worries too."

"Goku, do you remember Antares?" Amara asked.

"That creepy guy with the orange eyes, how could I forget? What about him?"

"It turns out that he's of a race called Astravul, Starchildren." She explained. "Piccolo killed him in their battle, but we found out that there are other Astravul mercenaries in the employ of Mordred on their way to Earth right now, to help the Cult's initiatives."

"How strong was he?" Goku frowned.

"For you, it wouldn't have been much an issue." Michelle said. "But he put up a very good fight against Piccolo. He was very strong, and if he's any indication, we're going to have even more trouble in the future."

"And what about everyone?" Goku frowned at the bleak news.

"The other Sailor Scouts are all right…except for Mars." Trista said somberly. "Mordred killed her."

"We're unaware of the Supreme Kai's whereabouts, though we faintly detect he's alive. We brought the little ones back here to recuperate. They tried to interfere in Vegeta's fight with Mordred, but he wouldn't let that happen." Piccolo continued.

Goku immediately took interest. "What about Gohan and Vegeta? Where are they?"

"Mordred killed them both…" Trista sighed.

"What? Oh no!" Goku moped, slouching over.

"Mordred's power is incredible; I've never seen anything like it." Piccolo continued. "And he's gathering his forces to him by the minute. If we don't stop him, Bashgal will be released soon, and then it's all lost."

"I wish Vegeta hadn't have rushed off to fight him alone like that! If only he hadn't have been so arrogant! We could have worked together!"

"No, don't punish yourself; it wouldn't have made a difference! Even an army of Super Saiyans wouldn't be able to do the job!" Piccolo countered.

"I was going to say that if Vegeta hadn't have gone off like that, I could have done a fusion with him!"

"Fusion?" All of the Outers asked.

"Yeah. It's a technique I learned in Other World from people called the Metamorese. It's an ancient merger art that can be performed by two people of similar height and power."

"You want to try that again?" Krillin asked, not quite getting the explanation.

"It's when two people join their bodies to form a single being with the combined powers of both multiplied several times over due to the power of the technique!"

Everyone gasped at Goku's story.

"It only lasts for thirty minutes but…"

"With that kind of power you'd have been able to beat Mordred easily…!" Amara finished, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"Yeah…" Goku sighed. "But it looks like that's off the table now…"

"Wait a minute, no it's not!" Krillin yelled. "Once you get back to Other World you can fuse with Gohan or Vegeta there!"

"All right! Now that's a great idea!" Goku smiled.

"Impossible." Piccolo shot them down. "Once Goku leaves this world he won't be able to return. The fusion would still do us no good."

All of them sighed.

"The young ones sleeping…could they do a fusion?" Mr. Popo finally asked.

"Yeah, that's possible." Goku smiled. "To be Super Saiyans at their age…it's unheard of. But would it be enough to stop Mordred? I'm not so sure…"

"Well, what other choice do we have?" Krillin asked. "It's the best option available to us right now!"

"Yeah, I agree." Goku said. "We can't ever give up hope you guys!"

Michelle looked to Amara, remembering how she had just said the same thing, then suddenly, her eyes widened when an idea struck her.

"Wait a minute Goku, why stop there?"

All of them eyed Michelle curiously, and she smiled up at Amara before continuing.

"Why not teach the technique to me, Goku? I can join my body with Amara and we can fight as a fused Sailor Scout!"

"Hm?" Everyone looked at her curiously.

"I can't fuse with you Trista, since you're more powerful than I am and you're the Guardian of Time. The timeline might get screwed up if you fuse with someone. But Amara and I are rather similar in our abilities. Then once we learn to fuse, we can teach the technique to the other Sailor Scouts and have them join their bodies as well! We might as well all bring as much power to this fight as we possibly can!"

Everyone still looked at her curiously.

"…It won't be enough to stop Mordred…" She continued, smiling. "…But it can certainly put a dent into those Starchild mercenaries that are on their way!"

"Yeah!" Goku smiled, pumping his fist. "That's a great idea! Let's get started right away!"

"Everyone, clear the floor for them." Trista ordered. Everyone went to the stoop besides Goku, Amara, and Michelle.

"All right. This technique is sort of a water ballet. Each of you need to think of yourselves as one being as you come closer. First you start out like this." Goku explained, holding his arms out. "Then you come closer and bend your arms over your head like this, saying 'FUUSION.' You move like this while doing that, then you have to make sure you pivot your leg like so." Goku explained. "Then you go 'HA,' and move your arms like this, concluding with your index fingers joining each other. Make sure the index fingers are fully extended at the end; otherwise, you could turn into a less powerful being than you were before! And remember, symmetry, each of you needs to do the same movement, but sort of a mirror opposite to your counterpart. Here, I'll show you again!" Goku said, and then did the dance again. "Now, why don't you give the dance a try?"

Michelle, on Amara's left, immediately extended her arms, but the Soldier of Sky stood there with red cheeks and a dumbfounded look in her eyes.

"…You really want me to do that ridiculous dance?" She grunted in embarrassment.

"Oh c'mon Amara! That's the only way to do it!" Goku implored. "You want to help beat these guys right?"

Amara's blush deepened as she squinted her eyes. "Why me?" She muttered.

Michelle was giggling.

"Oh this is good." Trista smiled. "I only wish I had a camera for this!"

"Try that and I'll make sure you get a fistful of cockroaches in your clothes!" Amara hissed.

Trista only continued to laugh, along with Krillin, while Piccolo looked on with a curious stare as they tried out the movements.

* * *

"Hey, you know, you guys are pretty good at this! I thought it would take much longer for you to become familiar with the dance!" Goku complimented around a half hour later.

"It's probably because of our athletic activities." Michelle smiled. "It'll probably take much longer for the others."

"Can you imagine Serena trying this out?" Amara muttered with a smirk.

"She'd fall down every time." Michelle bantered back.

"Hey now, that's not very nice." Goku furrowed his brow. "She'll have to learn this too, so you shouldn't dissuade her! Anyway, I think you guys are ready to try the fusion for real. So let's get to it!"

Amara and Michelle nodded, narrowing their eyes and pulling out their Henshin Wands. The sky however, began to darken before they transformed.

"Huh?" Everyone noised as they looked up in curiosity.

"Is it daylight savings time already and someone forgot to tell me?" Krillin asked.

"Not good!" Piccolo sounded out.

"Could it be Mordred?" Michelle asked.

"No. I'm not sensing any elevated power levels from either physical or ethereal energy." Trista answered.

"Oh no!" Goku said, finally figuring it out. "Bulma must have gathered the Dragonballs and released Shenron."

"…The Eternal Dragon." Amara gasped.

"But why call the dragon now? She can't know everything that's happened!" Krillin objected.

"Wait! Serena must have told her what happened with Vegeta! That's where the Supreme Kai must have sent her! She's probably trying to fix him." Goku deduced.

"Bulma also probably wants to remedy the damage that the Numba did at the World Martial Arts Tournament." Trista added. "They killed quite a few people there."

"That'll ruin everything!" Dende gasped. "Once two wishes are fulfilled we'll have to wait a whole year before we can make another one! The damage Mordred does won't be able to be quickly remedied!"

"Goku, you must go and stop her." Trista frowned.

"Yeah." Goku agreed. "I'll see you guys in a few!" He put two fingers on his head and frowned, feeling Bulma's faint energy.

* * *

The Eternal Dragon, Shenron emerged from the gathered Dragonballs, his omnipotent roar filled the entire West City area.

The Inner Sailor Scouts (who were now reunited), Darien, and the Cats gasped.

"Wo…whoa…" Serena gasped while putting a hand in front of her mouth, her sapphire eyes wide in disbelief.

"I'm a talking cat…and this is still a shock…" Luna trailed from Serena's shoulder.

"I'm…dreaming…this can't be real can it?" Videl asked to herself.

"YOU HAVE DISTURBED ME FROM MY SLUMBER!" Shenron boomed. "SPEAK, AND NAME YOUR FIRST WISH!"

Lita gasped as she felt each letter of Shenron's voice boom through her chest.

"I think that…I'm going to have to faint now…" Videl trailed.

"Artemis…you never told me about this…" Mina said, finally reunited with her pet and guardian.

"I…I…" He stuttered, seated in the crook of her arm. Both of them jumped back when the dragon began to speak again.

"YOU TRY MY PATIENCE! SPEAK!" Shenron demanded.

"Uhhh…Bulma…best not to piss this guy off…" Darien trailed, not removing his wide eyes from the dragon.

"This creature…there's no data on it anywhere except in obscure legends." Ami said as she fingered her computer while periodically looking up at the dragon. She was seemingly the only one there who wasn't bugging out.

"How should I phrase this…?" Bulma trailed.

"How about this? BRING EVERYONE WHO DIED TODAY BACK TO LIFE, EXCEPT FOR ALL THE REALLY REALLY EVIL ONES!" Yamcha shouted. "Will that do, Bulma?"

"That will do." She answered as they smiled at each other.

"IT HAS BEEN ANSWERED." Shenron declared as his red eyes glowed. WHAT IS YOUR SECOND WISH? I MUST HAVE IT! NOW!"

Goku appeared at the scene.

"Did he say second wish? Oh no I'm too late!"

"Goku!" Everyone said at once.

"Goku, welcome back!" Serena greeted.

"GOKU! Where on Earth have you been!" Chi-Chi yelled. "And where are Gohan and Goten?"

"Chi-Chi, there's no time right now to explain. Dende, can you hear me?" Goku asked while putting his finger on his head.

"_Yes_!" The voice of the Guardian sounded out telepathically.

"I arrived too late! They've already used their first wish and now he wants to know what their second one is!"

"Then there is still hope!" Dende said from the Lookout. "Tell Shenron that you want to save the second wish for another time. If only one wish has been granted then we can use the second wish when only four months have passed!"

"All right, I'll take care of that." Goku answered. "Oh, and you guys, I can't believe I almost forgot, I'm bringing you all back with me once I've finished with my business here, so get ready!"

"Bringing us…where?" Lita whispered in Mina's ear.

Mina only widened her eyes and shrugged her shoulders.

Serena's eyes were wide as the sky in curiosity as she looked at Goku.

"Shenron, you don't have to grant any more wishes today thank you!" Goku shouted. "We'll call you again sometime!"

"AS YOU WISH!" The dragon answered. "FAREWELL!" He roared and glowed gold. The Dragonballs lifted into the air and scattered, bringing a blue sky back once again.

"Now, I want all of you to come back with me to the Lookout, we'll be safe there and we can make a plan of action! As long as you're connected to me we can all travel by Instant Transmission!" Goku beckoned.

"_This is like some wonderful fantasy land where just when I think it can't possibly get any weirder it does!_" Videl's eyes buckled as she thought.

"Please remain standing in an upright position, and hold on to the person next to you!" Goku requested.

Serena's eyes were still wide as she held on to Darien, who held on to Goku's shoulder. Ami held on to her other hand, followed by the other Scouts, holding their respective cats. Everyone quickly formed a line.

"We're ready for liftoff!" Goku said and put his fingers on his head, transmitting back to the Lookout.

Instantly, they returned to the lookout, the new visitors marveling at the place.

"This architecture…how is such a structure supported just floating like this? This goes against the laws of physics."

"Ami…must you always analyze everything?" Mina asked, a vein popping out of her head.

"Hey there, Meatball Head!"

Serena noised and turned around to see Amara smirking at her, followed by Michelle and Trista.

"Amara, Michelle, Trista! You guys are all right!"

"It's such a relief to see you guys again after we got separated like that!" Lita declared.

"Hello everyone. I'm Dende." He said to the newcomers. "I'm the Guardian of the Earth; it's nice to meet you Sailor Scouts at long last."

"You too!" Serena waved happily.

"You'll all be safe up here." The Namek continued. "We've already put something of a plan together, so we should all get started soon."

"Yeah, it is safe up here." Krillin said as he held his toddler daughter. "I only wish I knew where Tien and Chiaotzu were so I could bring them up here too…"

"They said they weren't gonna come back, but I'll try and find them." Yamcha assured.

"Hmmm…" Ami looked around. "Is it just me or are several people missing?"

"Yes, where are Goten and Gohan?" Chi-Chi asked.

Krillin backtracked, babbling.

"And what about my Trunks, and Vegeta?" Bulma looked around.

"And where's Rini and Hotaru? They all went off together last I heard. Come to think of it, I don't see Rei anywhere either, I thought she'd be with you guys, but she's nowhere in sight!" Serena's head zipped around.

Krillin's babbling continued.

Piccolo thought of the last time he'd seen Vegeta.

"_You're fool!_" The image of Vegeta shouted with a smile and blew himself up.

Piccolo closed his eyes as a drop of sweat formed on his head. Trista and Michelle's eyes immediately drooped downward, and Amara closed her eyes and crossed her arms.

Serena's eyes saddened. She knew something bad had happened. Artemis was right. "Amara…Michelle…Trista…?" Serena asked.

"Goku, where are my sons?" Chi-Chi asked for the crowd, their eyes full of curiosity as they looked at the hard or saddened faces of those that came there before them.

Goku kept his hard expression as everyone implored him for an answer with their eyes.

"Goku…should I…?" Amara volunteered.

"No…I'll do it…" He sighed.

"C'mon Goku…" Krillin beckoned.

"What I have to tell you all isn't going to be easy for me to say right now…but…"

"Goku…?" Serena gasped.

"The kids are all going to be all right…"

Serena breathed a huge sigh of relief at Goku's assurance. She'd been especially terrified over Rini.

"…But Gohan…Vegeta…and Rei are dead…" He continued.

Everyone gasped in shock, their eyes threatening to pop out of their skulls, even the Cats.'

"…Mordred…killed them all." Goku stated, his eyes had saddened.

Denial quickly turned to distraught as Goku finished the story.

"…REIIIIII!" Serena wailed, finally catching her breath. She plummeted to her knees in tears.

"Serena!" Darien immediately rushed over to her, followed by the remaining Inner Scouts and their cat guardians, all in tears.

"Gohan…he can't be…he just can't!" Videl denied.

Chi-Chi closed her eyes and fainted.

"No! Chi-Chi!" Her father, the Ox King called out.

"Vegeta…" Bulma choked in tears. "NOOOO! VEGETAAAA!" She wailed.

"Bulma, pull yourself together! Bulma…" Yamcha tried to comfort her.

"Chi-Chi!" Goku rushed over to his fainted wife.

Dende, Mr. Popo, Piccolo, Trista, Amara, and Michelle, all looked on in sadness, Trista and Michelle with visible tears in their eyes as Bulma's sobbing continued.

"NOOOOOOO!" Bulma wailed again.

"Serena…" Luna trailed, trying to climb into her lap.

"I knew it…I just knew it…that we wouldn't all survive that monster…" She choked.

"How could we allow ourselves to be separated like that…" Ami cried. "We were supposed to fight together…"

"We've failed in our duty as Scouts to protect each other." Lita's emerald eyes were full of tears.

"Rei…how could we be so pathetic…" Mina cried.

"Mina…" Artemis looked up at her, crying. She only held him to her as tightly as she could, tears coming out of her squinting eyes.

"Oh…" Diana cried.

"Well well…" A voice sounded out, followed by the sound of a cane hitting the ground. "You know…it's never easy dealing with the loss of loved ones…"

"Another talking cat…" Luna looked on with her eyes wide, still watery from the tears. "And here I thought we were unique!"

Serena weakly smiled at her cat.

"Hey Korin…" Goku greeted.

"But I'm afraid there's no time for mourning, Goku. You have to take action! If Mordred releases Bashgal, none of you will be safe, even in this place."

"I agree." Goku nodded. "Girls, you can't blame yourselves. If anything, this is Mordred's fault. We can undo all the damage he's done with the Dragonballs, but only if we beat him first! We're all in this together, and we need to work as a team. There's no other way to stop this guy. That means we need to swallow our sadness and begin our training right away!"

Serena and the remaining Inner Scouts all nodded.

"Amara and Michelle, you'll have to save your fusion for later. To begin with, I want you and Trista to teach the girls and Darien how to fly and sense power levels; they'll need those abilities at once. Krillin, Yamcha, and you too 18, I want you to join in." He referenced Krillin's wife. "You all should help out as well."

All of them nodded, even 18.

"Piccolo, you'll also need to teach us how to sense ethereal energy." Goku continued.

"It will be done." He assured. "And we should also use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."

"Hyperbolic Time Chamber?" Darien asked curiously.

"Yes Darien. It's a special room here where the timeline is distorted. It allows you to train for one year in only twenty-four hours Earth time."

This shocked all of the Scouts except Trista.

"Yes, I've heard of that place…" Trista trailed. "Good call, Piccolo."

"You won't be spending the full day in there, but one hour will still allow you several weeks of training. That should be enough."

All of the future trainees looked at Piccolo determinedly.

"There's only enough food for two at a time. So you'll draw lots to see who gets paired with who and who goes in first." Piccolo concluded.

"Excellent thinking Piccolo. We'll need to use this time before Mordred's next move as productively as possible." Goku declared.

"Yes. Mr. Popo, please make the necessary preparations to the Time Chamber."

"Of course, Dende." Mr. Popo obliged.

"Oh, and while you're at it, wake up the kids and tell them to get out here." Goku ordered, which Mr. Popo acknowledged. He turned back toward everyone. "We _can_ do this!" He assured. "We'll stand or fall together!"

Everyone turned toward him with determined eyes and acknowledged with a grunt and nod of the head.

* * *

"Master."

The Supreme Kai was astonished when he looked up to see Kibito standing over him.

"Please hold still."

The purple deity sat down and quickly felt Kibito's power rushing through him. His injuries disappeared.

"Thank you Kibito. Now come, we must find Gohan at once. No matter what, we absolutely cannot let him die!" He said and rushed off into the sky, Kibito quickly following him with an astonished look on his face.

"I can just barely sense him in that forest up ahead." The Supreme Kai stated a few minutes later.

The two Kais came to the forest and floated over the trees, looking for Gohan.

"There he is, right over there!" Kibito pointed.

They rushed down to his badly injured and unconscious body.

"He's still alive, but he is in a critical state." Kibito stated.

The Supreme Kai smiled. "Then there's still hope."

Kibito made to heal Gohan.

"No!"

"Huh?" Kibito grunted.

"Kibito, restore Gohan's energy when we take him with us back to our world."

"But Master, surely you don't suggest bringing a mere Earthling back to the World of the Kais do you? Even the Grand Kai himself is not permitted to set foot on such hallowed ground!" He strongly objected. "Do you really mean to put all our eggs in one basket?"

The purple deity smiled at his bodyguard. "No. I'm sure the others have thought up of something as well, as I am sure that she has been thinking in our absence. Indeed, I'm sure we'll have much to speak about with her when we get there. Now let's go home! You heard me!" The Supreme Kai overruled his objections.

"Yes Master." Kibito agreed, teleporting them away.


	16. Confrontation

**A reviewer by the name of midniteryder asked about the Dragonballs bringing Rei back, pointing a continuity error. I phrased the wish "bring everyone that died today back to life." I meant for Yamcha to have said "bring those killed by the Numba at the World Martial Arts Tournament back to life." Yeah, Rei's still dead.**

**

* * *

**

"Ugh…unnn." Hotaru groaned as she slowly fluttered her eyes open and sat up in her bed. "What in the world happened?" She groaned, remembering the incident with Vegeta. "Rini!" She gasped as she noticed her good friend resting next to her, and then Trunks and Goten asleep in the bed across from her. She turned her head to the right with wide eyes when she heard a door opening.

"Oh, thank goodness you're up!" Mr. Popo said with a smile as he set down a tray.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Hotaru asked in bewilderment.

"You are at the Lookout home of the Guardian of the Earth, Dende. I am his assistant, Mr. Popo." He explained. "You were brought here by Piccolo and the others."

"What happened?"

"I think we should wake up the others before explaining everything." Mr. Popo replied as he proceeded to walk over toward Trunks and Goten. "Would you mind waking up the pink haired one?"

Hotaru chuckled at the genie. "Rini!" She gently began to shake her friend.

"Oh hey, it's nice to see you're up!"

Hotaru looked to see a man in an orange gi standing in the doorway. She knew that it must be Goku. Rini got up with a groan and stared at the man.

"What, where are we?" Goten's loud voice resounded throughout the room.

"Can't you be a little less loud?" Trunks grumbled.

Mr. Popo laughed. "Well, they're all yours now, Goku! I have to do some final checks on the Time Chamber; I'll see you in a bit!"

"See you soon, Mr. Popo!" Goku replied as the genie made his way out.

"So uhhh…what's going on?" Rini asked, not knowing anything about where she was.

"You must be Hotaru and Rini." Goku mused. "I'm Goku, Goten's dad! Piccolo, Krillin, and the Outer Sailor Scouts brought you here after Vegeta's fight with Mordred."

"What happened?" Trunks was immediately curious, followed by the intense stares of the others.

Goku frowned. "Goten, Trunks…this is going to be very difficult for me to tell you, but Sailor Mars was not the only one that Mordred killed today…Gohan and Vegeta are also dead at his hands…"

"What…?" Trunks immediately objected, choking. "But my dad…he can't be dead! He just can't be!"

"Gohan? No, there's no way!" Goten cried as well. "He was my only brother!"

Rini and Hotaru immediately saddened on hearing the news and seeing them act as they were.

"Stop it!" Goku ordered with a frown. "We don't have time for mourning! Mordred is still out there and he still plans on doing terrible things!"

"But…!" The two boys both said at once.

"We can fix everything with the Dragonballs, but he needs to be defeated first! And you two are going to be immensely important in that mission!" Goku continued with his hard expression. "So knock back the tears, and get ready for training!" He ordered.

Goten and Trunks stiffened their faces and nodded.

"Ummm…Goku…?" Rini trailed.

Goku widened his eyes and turned around to look at the pink haired girl.

"What is it Rini?"

"What about everyone?"

Goku smiled. "Don't worry, everybody's here, they're all outside training. We should all get out there, Serena will be very happy to see you!"

Rini's face lit up. Hotaru smiled as well.

"Now, what would you girls say about learning how to fly?" Goku smiled.

"Cool!" Rini and Hotaru both chimed at once.

They all exited the room, Goku laughing at the cheerfulness of the children.

* * *

The Supreme Kai Kibito, and an unconscious Gohan arrived back at the formers' world, an endless expanse of lush, green meadows covering the entire planet. It always felt and looked like a perfect spring day on the Sacred World of the Kais, where the Supreme Kai resided and watched over the universe. The many white moons surrounding the planet were clearly visible in the bright blue sky.

"Kibito, revive Gohan." The Supreme Kai ordered with a confident smile.

The pinkish bodyguard grunted in reluctant obeisance to his master's order. He placed his hand on Gohan's chest. A bright yellow light shone around his and Gohan's bodies. In a few seconds, Gohan's injuries were gone and he opened his eyes.

"Uhhnnn…" Gohan breathed as he awoke. "Woah!" He sat up. "What the?" He looked into the Supreme Kai's obsidian eyes. "Supreme Kai…where are we…?"

"It's my world, the World of the Kais." He explained.

"This is where you live?" Gohan asked, looking around. "Well, I guess this means I'm dead, doesn't it?" He smiled. "Hey! I don't get a halo like my dad has?" He asked somewhat annoyed.

"You were in bad shape, but you're alive." The Supreme Kai explained with a smile.

"Ok…but if I'm not dead, what am I doing here?"

"You are asking too many questions of the Supreme Kai!" Kibito rebuked. "You should try to be more respectful. No living mortal has ever stood on this ground!"

"Oh, so I really did die I guess, and that's why I'm here?"

Kibito grimaced in annoyance. "Gohan…you're alive…but I don't know why you're here."

"Welcome back." A calm, serene, and powerful female voice interrupted the conversation. "The two of you had me more than a little worried down there."

Gohan turned to see the Supreme Kai smiling at a petite woman with long silver hair tied in pigtails, eyes the same color as the sky surrounding the planet, and a golden crescent moon mark on her forehead. She wore a silver gown that had a golden crescent moon brooch in the center. She also had a halo over her head, indicating that she was dead and he was indeed alive.

"Hey…" Gohan trailed in curiosity. "You know, you look a lot like a friend of mine named Serena…" Gohan trailed.

"Gohan, have you no respect?" Kibito lashed, but the woman and the Supreme Kai found it comical.

"Of course I do!" She smiled. "I'm her mother, after all!"

Gohan's eyes widened.

"Gohan." The Supreme Kai smiled. "This is Queen Serenity."

"Oh, hello…" Gohan trailed with wide eyes. "How…did you get here…?" He asked curiously.

"It's nice to meet you Gohan." The Queen smiled as she shook his hand. "As to how I got here- when I died at the end of the Galactic War, I like your father, was allowed to keep my body due to the way I lived my life. I would have gone to Heaven, but the Supreme Kai gave me the honor of inviting me to reside here, and I now act as an advisor to him." She explained. "And let me just say thank you so much for helping my daughter and her guardians out as the Great Saiyaman, and now against that traitor, Mordred."

"No problem really…though I haven't been much help in that last part…"

Queen Serenity looked warmly upon him. "Though sir." She said, turning her attention to the Supreme Kai. "I am more than curious sir, as to why you decided to bring Gohan here. It's not every day that you bring guests to this planet, not that I don't think he's worthy."

"I am also puzzled, Master." Kibito seconded. "It's not right! Gohan does not belong in a place like this!"

"Kibito!" Queen Serenity rebuked. "That's up to the Supreme Kai, is it not? I'm sure that he has a good reason!"

The purple deity smiled. "I brought Gohan here to get the Z Sword!"

Kibito was stunned. "HUH? THE Z SWORD? You…you can't be serious!"

"It looks like he's serious." Queen Serenity's eyes sarcastically glinted at Kibito.

Kibito frowned at her, and then looked back at the Supreme Kai. "How can a mere Earthling do what the Kais themselves could not? DON'T YOU REMEMBER? NONE OF THE KAIS, NOT EVEN YOU WERE CAPABLE OF FREEING THE Z SWORD!"

"I'm aware of the power of the Z Sword." The purple deity smiled. "And I'm certain that Gohan is the right person to wield it." He looked confidently toward the young half-Saiyan.

"Uhh…what's the Z Sword?" Gohan asked, lost.

"MASTER, HAVE YOU REALLY THOUGHT THIS THROUGH?" Kibito was still stunned.

"There's no harm in trying, Kibito." He replied.

"I agree." Queen Serenity seconded. "I have confidence that Gohan has enough power to finally free the Z Sword."

"Gohan, come with me." The Supreme Kai smiled and took off into the air.

Gohan curiously followed.

Queen Serenity stood with the bewildered Kibito, still sarcastically smiling at him.

Kibito frowned at her. "He won't pull the Z Sword from that rock! I guarantee it!"

Her eyes glinted again. "Whatever you say, Kibito! I'll cover your bet if you like!"

He grunted and then the two took off to the sky, following the Supreme Kai and Gohan.

"What a view!" Gohan said, marveling at the planet. "You know, in a lot of ways, this reminds me of where I live back on Earth!"

Kibito grunted. "Look at you! This is a sacred place and you're dressed like that!" He scoffed at the rags left over from Gohan's Saiyaman outfit. A sparkle erupted from his left index finger.

Gohan widened his eyes when a light surrounded him and then he saw himself in clothing similar to the Supreme Kai's.

"Those clothes suit you well Gohan!" The Supreme Kai laughed.

"Thanks…!" Gohan replied, still curious about the clothes.

Queen Serenity laughed as they finally approached the rock containing the Z Sword.

"Ah this is it! We're here!" The Supreme Kai declared.

All four of them landed on top of the rock, Gohan noticing that the hilt of a sword stuck out of the surface.

"This is the Z Sword, Gohan." The Supreme Kai showed. "Now try to pull it out." He told Gohan, who had stepped toward it. "No one else has done it." He declared, his eyes had hardened. "If you can pull it from the rock, you will be the first."

"You know, this might sound strange, but I feel like I've done this before." Gohan said as he curiously tapped the hilt.

The Supreme Kai and Queen Serenity smiled at him, while Kibito frowned in skepticism.

"Gohan, you'll have to struggle with all your might, but I know that you can pull it out, just believe." Queen Serenity advised.

Gohan placed his hands on the brown patterned hilt. "Here goes!" He suddenly curiously looked up at the Supreme Kai.

"Huh?" The purple deity noised and raised his white eyebrows.

"Well…I was wondering what's supposed to happen when a person actually manages to pull this thing out?" Gohan asked, still holding the hilt.

"The sword draws on its master's deepest hidden power." Kibito declared. "The two…become one weapon, capable of cutting down even the mightiest of foes!"

"Oh wow!" Gohan answered. "It sounds like this sucker must be really sharp! Guess I'll have to be careful!"

"Don't worry!" Kibito chuckled. "You can't free it!"

"Kibito! We've all had our chance, now give Gohan his!" The Supreme Kai countered. "If you're ready, give it a try!"

"Here goes nothing!" Gohan smiled. He then narrowed his eyes and tugged at the Z Sword. "Hhhh…uhhh…hhhhh…ahhhh…RRRRHHHHH!" He tugged, grimacing at how hard it was to pull. "HHHHHRRRHHHH! AAHHHHHHHHAHHHH!"

The Supreme Kai and Queen Serenity smiled while Kibito frowned in skepticism.

"HHHHH…WHOAAAHHH!" Gohan's hands slipped and he fell back on his head, the entire rock shaking. "UHHH...EHHHH!" Gohan groaned, his hands glowing pink in pain. "Stupid hands!"

"Would you…like some gloves Gohan…?" Queen Serenity curiously looked down on the young half-Saiyan.

"Gohan…I think you should try it again…" The Supreme Kai beckoned.

"You guys weren't kidding about this thing!" Gohan said while Kibito smirked. "C'mon hands, be strong! Be strong! Be strong! RAAHHH!" Gohan shouted and transformed into a Super Saiyan, his golden aura crackling with electricity and lighting up the rock.

"Not even your Super Saiyan strength will be enough I'm afraid!" Kibito smirked.

"Kibito!" Queen Serenity rebuked.

Gohan grabbed the hilt once more. "UHHHH HHHNNN! RRRR!" Electricity crackled around his hands.

"Your effort is in vain!" Kibito continued. "If the Supreme Kai was unable to extract the sword, how can a simple mortal like yourself ever succeed?"

"AARRRUNNNNN!" Gohan continued to growl and grit his teeth. The rock underneath him began to dent and crack. "ARGGAAGGGGG!" Pieces of stone could be seen flying through the air due to the power Gohan was emitting. "RRRRRR!"

Kibito's obsidian eyes widened. The rock surrounding the Z Sword began to crack.

"Gohan!" Queen Serenity shouted. "You're doing it!" She encouraged.

"HHHHH RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Gohan roared, giving it one last pull. The rock underneath him crumbled the blade came loose, Gohan's aura lighting up the entire rocky edifice as he lifted into the air.

"Gohan! You did it!" The Supreme Kai shouted.

"THE Z SWORD IS FREE!" Kibito yelled in disbelief.

All three figures looked up at Gohan in the air breathing heavily, clutching the sword.

"Well Kibito, it seems that you've underestimated our young friend!" The Supreme Kai declared as they all stood on the ground close to the rock. Gohan was in his normal state, holding the Z Sword. "How does it feel Gohan, to hold the legendary Z Sword?" The Supreme Kai asked.

"Let's see." Gohan stated, and then struggled to lift the sword. He gritted his teeth and then yelled in surprise as he felt the sword pushing his body downward. He bent back to look at the Supreme Kai. "Don't worry, I've got it!" He assured and then struggled back to stand upright. "Hey, I think that if I can get Mordred to hold this sword, I can beat him! He won't be able to use his arms!" He declared as he tried to swing the blade.

Queen Serenity giggled while Kibito was not as amused.

"How dare you make jokes?" Kibito erupted. "This sword is the ultimate weapon and you removed it, now you must master it! You must work harder than you ever have because if you continue trembling the way you are now, your fight with Mordred will end before it's begun!"

"Well Kibito, maybe you'd like to give it a try!" Gohan offered. "For you, this should be no problem!"

Kibito grabbed the sword and promptly fell down, the blade coming to rest on the ground.

"How embarrassing…" The Supreme Kai trailed.

"See, like I said, it's heavy!" Gohan smiled, his hands glowing pink.

"You know, my offer of gloves still stands Gohan…" Queen Serenity declared with widened eyes.

"RRRRGGRRRRR!" Kibito gritted his teeth for all to see as he struggled to lift the sword from the ground. Soon, Kibito's hands glowed like Gohan's and he blew on them. "Uhhh…it's not that heavy…" He narrowed his eyes.

"You couldn't even lift it off the ground…" Gohan trailed in shock.

"You know…you're really terrible at trying to hold dignity." Queen Serenity said sarcastically in response to Kibito.

"Well…" Kibito tried to shift the attention away from him. "I'M NOT THE ONE WHO HAS TO USE IT! YOU ARE! SO YOU HAD BETTER GET STARTED!" He breathed heavily, Gohan and the Supreme Kai widening their eyes.

Queen Serenity placed a hand over her mouth and laughed wildly. She had not been this entertained in quite a while.

* * *

"Now remember." Goku said. "Even if the fusion is successful, it will only last for thirty minutes. Once that time's up, your bodies will separate, and then you won't be able to do another fusion for a while, you follow me?"

Piccolo growled. "Thirty minutes isn't long enough for this kind of fight!"

"You might be right." Goku pondered. "But this technique really is _that_ powerful!" Goku explained. "It's the best chance we have, so we have to take it!"

Goku and Piccolo stood with Goten and Trunks in the topmost tower of the Lookout, with the sounds of the others training in the large open area below. The girls were learning to fly and sense power levels and some were having more success than others, with Hotaru in the lead. She was already hovering and landing with no problem, and her default ability to detect evil had translated well into sensing people's energy in both planes. Her instructor was Trista, who delighted at the progress Hotaru had made in such a short time. Serena and Mina were having the toughest time with flying, and Ami, always analytical, was having the toughest time in sensing power levels, though she'd get the hand of it soon. Serena was now in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with her instructor, Michelle. Piccolo had already explained to everyone how to sense ethereal energy. It was simple for the Z Fighters who had spent much of their lives sensing people's physical power. All one had to do, he'd explained was look deeper, into the nature of reality while concentrating on a life force, and one would sense any magical power his soul emitted. As for the Sailor Scouts who previously could not do it, it would be part of their training.

"Ok." Goku continued. "I need you two to become Super Saiyans for this!"

Trunks and Goten frowned, eliciting curiosity from Goku.

"Listen, we want to know…you're supposed to be the strongest guy in the universe right? So why weren't you there…why weren't you there to save Gohan…or Sailor Mars…or my dad?"

"I'm sorry Trunks." Goku sighed.

"What…you're sorry? You could have helped!"

"Gohan always told me that you could do anything!" Goten continued. "So why didn't you save them?"

"Look…" Goku trailed. "I wish I was the strongest guy in the universe, then I could have helped, but I'm not! It's up to you guys! If you learn what I have to teach you…we can still get that monster for all of the terrible things he's done!"

Goten and Trunks frowned in determination.

* * *

"Oh…" Serena, now Sailor Moon once again complained, looking at the emptiness of the room. "It's hot again…why can't this room make up its mind?"

Michelle, now Sailor Neptune frowned, but the queen of complaints did have a point. This room was very difficult to train in. Piccolo never warned her about this; neither did Amara, who had emerged with a now fully-flight capable Lita, and she noticed that both had gotten quite a bit stronger. They had drawn the first lot to the chamber, while she and Serena had drawn the second. It was hot enough to give them both shortness of breath.

"Michelle…can we go eat and wait for this to end?"

"No!" She countered. "I told you, you aren't getting one more bite to eat until I see you lift off the ground!"

"Oh…" Serena pouted.

"I told you I had a hard time at first as well, but once you understand the basics, it's really not that difficult." She explained. "Serena…feel that deepest energy that you have inside of you, even without being Sailor Moon, you still have it, everyone does! Concentrate on that power you can feel flowing deeply through your body, and then, push it under you to levitate."

Serena tried to concentrate, closing her eyes and controlling her breathing. She widened her eyes when she felt herself lifting off the ground. "Whoa…I'm flying!"

Michelle laughed. "To land, slowly remove the energy from under your feet. Don't do it too fast or you'll…"

Serena yelped, cutting her off and landing painfully on her posterior. Her large sapphire eyes were wide in pain as tears cascaded down her cheeks. "Ow…"

"Land in a heap…" Michelle finished. "Try it again."

"Can we eat now…I levitated!" Serena declared.

"Sure, but we're going to fly to the dining area." Michelle ordered.

"All right…" Serena agreed.

Michelle lifted off the ground, followed a few seconds later by Serena, who was still getting used to the process. "Now." She said. "To move around, you manipulate your energy around your feet in the direction that you want to go. So for instance we want to go in the direction of the only feature in this otherwise featureless room. So, follow me!" She beckoned.

Serena widened her eyes as Michelle sped toward the area in question. Serena slowly followed, yelping and catching herself several times along the way before she fell, flailing about in the air as she did so.

"Remember how to land!" Michelle called hardly to Serena as she approached.

"Yeah…" Serena muttered nervously as she looked down, doing her best to lower her energy slowly. She landed softly on the ground, her boots making a small _clack_.

"Now, why don't I fix us some of the food Mr. Popo gave us?" Michelle offered. "In no time, you'll be flying like me and Piccolo!"

"Oh yeah…he taught you how to fly!" Serena mused while she smelled food on the grill. "It seems you've known one of our new friends for a long time now! How did you guys meet anyway?"

"Well…" Michelle began. "It wasn't long after Amara awoke as Sailor Uranus and we began working together against the Heart Snatchers. We really weren't very experienced…" She began.

*Flashback*

"_Aaahh!" Sailor Uranus groaned at the large Heart Snatcher, who had taken a little girl's heart. The girl was organizing a race for charity, and that made her a target. The Daimon of Pharaoh 90 had morphed from a table._

"_Deep Submerge!" Sailor Neptune yelled, sending her attack against the Daimon._

_The Daimon got taken down by her attack, but was back to her feet. "Time for you to get some splinters!" She shouted, sending large spiky pieces of wood at both Uranus and Neptune._

"_AAAHH!" They both screamed in pain as the pieces of wood left cuts on their bodies._

"_Now, how should I finish you?" The table-Daimon smirked. "Oh, I know!" A mallet and a spike appeared in her hands. "Just like a vampire!"_

_Both Sailor Scouts widened their eyes in terror, but a low, powerful voice sounded out._

"_SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!" It shouted._

_Uranus and Neptune widened their eyes when they saw an orange beam go straight through the table-Daimon's stomach._

"_AAAHHHCCCKK!" It cried out in pain and crumpled to the floor, reverting back to its previous form of a table, though it now had a big hole in it. The Daimon seed came out and cracked, sending the malevolent spirit to its death._

_Sailor Uranus and Neptune widened their eyes in surprise when they saw a very large man with green skin and pointy ears who was wearing a cape and turban examining the heart crystal. They couldn't see his face clearly._

"_Hey! Give that here!" Uranus ordered and rushed at him, only to be surprised when the man dematerialized, reappearing on top of a light post._

_Neptune gritted her teeth in suspicion._

"_No need." The man declared in his low and powerful voice. "This isn't the crystal you're looking for."_

_Uranus and Neptune were astonished when he threw it back to the little girl, the Pure Heart Crystal making its way back into her body where it belonged._

"_Who are you?" Uranus demanded._

"_I will contact you again." The green man cryptically declared and then took to the air, flying away with amazing speed; he was out of sight in moments._

*End Flashback*

"That was our first meeting." Michelle declared, finishing the story. "He did contact us again around a month and a half after that. He revealed himself as Piccolo, the special warrior and bodyguard of the Guardian of the Earth. He sort of became the sponsor to our mission, advising us here and there over courses of action, but he was as secretive with us as we were with you at first." She explained. "We knew for instance, that he had taken part in the Cell Games, but it wasn't until today that we found out everything about him, such as who he worked with and where he lived, though he did tell us a bit about Goku."

"Oh, I see…" Serena said as they ate. "When did he teach you how to fly?"

"After that little incident with the helicopter at Mugen School. He told us that that was far too close a call and we needed to rely on ourselves."

"I bet you're happy that we're here though right?" Serena smiled.

"Yes…it is nice to finally be here and meet his crew…Goku and the others. Unfortunately, it's because of terrible circumstances."

"Yeah…" Serena smiled weakly. "But…we've made a whole bunch of great new friends!" She countered. "And Goku's right you know…we _can_ fix everything with the Dragonballs, I saw it for myself! If we can beat Mordred, maybe it'll all be worth it in the end!"

Michelle smiled warmly. "Speaking of that." She finished her meal. "It's time to get back to work!"

Serena nodded and got up.

* * *

"How is she doing that…?" Mina, who was in her Sailor Venus form still struggled to levitate a few feet off the ground grunted as she watched Hotaru, now once again Sailor Saturn racing around the Lookout, laughing and flipping through the air.

Trista smiled brightly at her charge. Hotaru had learned much faster than she had.

"Well, according to a source as authoritative as the Supreme Kai." Krillin, her instructor began. "And your own reports, Sailor Saturn is much more powerful than you guys."

Krillin babbled and covered his mouth as Mina glared at him.

"Well excuse me for not having an all-powerful godlike father that banished away Bashgal!" She huffed.

"C'mon Mina, soon you'll fly just like her, it's really not that hard!" Krillin encouraged.

"It isn't Mina." Amara agreed. "Piccolo taught me how in no time, so just try and concentrate." She joined in the conversation as she sparred with Lita, both of them practicing moves slightly above the ground, the Soldier of Thunder still relishing in her newfound abilities to fly and sense physical and ethereal power levels.

"Speaking of Piccolo, I wonder how he and Goku are doing with the boys up there." Trista looked up at the top tower.

Everyone looked up in curiosity.

* * *

"The Fusion Technique is kind of like a dance!" Goku explained to Goten and Trunks. "You have to perform a specific series of movements, and your timing has to be perfect! It's not that difficult to learn, but you guys will need to practice a lot! So if you're ready, we'll begin!"

"You know…" Trunks trailed. "This fusion stuff sounds kinda stupid… We won't beat Mordred by dancing on him…"

"That's enough, Trunks!" Goku countered. "Now both of you go Super Saiyan!" He ordered.

Both Goten and Trunks nodded and transformed, their hair turning gold and eyes turning blue-green as they lit the area up with their golden auras.

"Now, raise your levels as high as they can go!" Goku beckoned.

Trunks and Goten grinned at each other and powered up.

* * *

The entire Lookout began to shake as a steady shower of debris filled the area.

"Wow!" Lita declared, using her newfound senses. "I can't believe how strong those two kids are!"

"That's what happens when you're the son of a Super Saiyan!" Krillin mused.

Mina was now even more jealous as she steadily levitated off the ground and back down, and then repeated.

Hotaru stopped in mid-flight, looking into the tower to see golden flashes. She widened her purple eyes in surprise at the power she felt coming from there.

* * *

"Ah, now there's a sound I recognize!" Mr. Popo smiled as he stood with Dende deep inside the Lookout. "It's comforting in a way. It makes me think those boys can really do this!"

"Yes." Dende smiled and looked down at the Earth below.

* * *

Goku and Piccolo's clothing and hair blew in the wind emitting from Trunks and Goten.

"Amazing, and at their age!" Piccolo's eyes were wide as a gust made his cape flail in the wind.

"Good, now raise it to your maximums!" Goku ordered.

"We did…!" Goten and Trunks widened their eyes.

"Oh, well in that case, Trunks, your level's a little too high."

"Heh heh!" He smirked at Goten.

"The fusion can only work if both of your power levels are exactly the same. Trunks, take yours down a bit to match Goten's."

"Right, take it down a bit!" Trunks said, reveling in his small victory. "Like this?" Trunks asked as he shrunk his aura.

"No, that's too low, a little bit more." Goku said. "More." Goku kept on as Trunks' aura slowly grew. "More. More. There! That's perfect!" He declared when their auras were the same size. "Remember how that feels, that's exactly where you guys want to be! Great, now back to normal!"

Trunks and Goten obliged by powering down to their normal states, their hair and eyes changing back.

"How come I have to do all the work?" Trunks asked. "Why can't Goten just raise his power to match mine?"

"I'm sorry, I can't!" The boy replied.

"It's ok son. Trunks is older than you, so it's only natural that he's a bit stronger. Ok, let's go again!"

* * *

Serena and Michelle emerged from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, both of them warmed up.

"Let's go see how the others are doing." Michelle said.

Serena nodded with a smile and they both took off toward the front area where everyone was training. They landed with smiles as everyone greeted them. Serena ran toward Darien.

"Look Darien! Look! Look! Look! I can fly!" Serena closed her eyes and jumped for joy.

Darien, now in his Tuxedo Mask form laughed at his girlfriend's happy squeals. "I'm starting to get the hang of it myself. 18's a good teacher." He smiled, as the android looked at the scene distantly.

"Yamcha, I think it's our turn to go into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber now, right?" Ami asked.

"Yep. Let's get going." Yamcha agreed.

Suddenly, everyone sensed many elevated power levels down on the Earth below. They began to talk amongst themselves as to what could be happening.

"It's a negative power force. It must be Mordred." Hotaru declared, landing next to Rini and her instructor, Videl, who had volunteered.

"What could that goon be up to now?" Videl asked angrily as Goku, Piccolo, Goten, Trunks, Dende, and Mr. Popo came running out onto the atrium.

"Michelle, use your mirror." Amara beckoned.

She nodded and pulled out the Deep Aqua Mirror. "Submarine Reflection!" She called and held it up toward an empty space, projecting a hologram.

"It's Mordred!" Serena gasped as she saw him flying toward a city with the Sprite Sisters and around five hundred Numba.

"No…he's got a small army with him now!" Yamcha said, startled.

"Those Numba must have been strengthened from our fights!" Piccolo yelled. "RRRR! Damn him!" He gritted his teeth.

"What city is that?" Lita frowned. "Ami, can you run a geography check on your computer to see where they are?"

"Yes!" Ami answered and tapped furiously on her keypad. A few seconds later, it beeped with a red light. "It's West City! They're heading toward West City!"

"Of all the places!" Bulma erupted. "Goku, my mother and father are going to be killed!"

"We have to go and fight!" Serena said with saddened eyes.

"No!" Piccolo immediately countered. "We're not ready to confront him yet! Our training has only begun!"

The Inners gasped and had looks on their faces that told that they took Serena's side, while the hard faces of the Outers revealed that they were on Piccolo's.

"Guys, we'll just bring them back with the Dragonballs!" Goku smiled. "It's hard to watch, but Piccolo is right, we can't fight him yet!"

"Listen, if we let Mordred take over or destroy West City, we'll lose the Dragon Radar Goku!" Bulma said with her hand on her hip.

That caused the Saiyan to widen his eyes and Piccolo to grunt in surprise.

"What? We don't have it here?" Goku asked.

"No! You took us away before I could get it!" Bulma said.

"Well…that does pose a problem." Goku replied.

"What are we going to do?" Mina asked. "Without the Dragon Radar, we can't even find the Dragonballs…unless we want to turn over every stone on the planet!"

Goten, Trunks, and Rini all widened their eyes while Hotaru hardened hers.

"Trunks, listen up!" Goku looked at him. "I need you to go to Capsule Corp and bring back the Radar. While you do that, I'll get in front of Mordred, and try to slow him and his army down. The rest of you, stay here."

"Are you sure about that?" Trunks asked while Serena gasped, her eyes buckling. "That guy is really tough; he's going to want to fight back!"

"Yeah, but you let me worry about that." Goku smiled.

"Trunks, you gotta promise." Bulma looked at her son. "Please come back here if things get too dangerous for you."

"I promise." Trunks declared and ran off, taking to the sky as a Super Saiyan.

"Good luck Trunks!" Goku shouted as he flew off. "All right, Piccolo, hold the fort here. I'll be back in a bit."

The Namek nodded.

"WAIT!" Serena shouted in concern and ran toward Goku. "Goku, let me help you!"

"No." Goku frowned at her. "You aren't ready to fight him. You heard what the Supreme Kai said. I can't let you get killed."

"Serena, you have to stay here." Trista narrowed her garnet eyes. "Our future depends on your surviving."

"NO!" Serena shouted and stood in front of Goku with her arms wide. "I won't let you confront that _monster_ alone!" She declared in sadness. "We need a plan!"

"Without the Dragonballs, there is no plan." Goku countered with a determined frown. "Don't worry about me. I'll be ok." He smiled. "Besides, I'm already dead!"

Serena smiled. "But…"

"Serena."

She turned to face Hotaru, who smiled at her and shook her head, indicating for her to stay where she was.

"Better let him go, Serena." Darien came to stand beside her and put an arm around her. "Though Goku, according to Serena, you and Vegeta were equal when you fought each other. And if Mordred was able to kill him…what makes you think you'll…"

Goku frowned at Darien.

"I'm not doubting you or anything…it's just that…I'm wondering what you're thinking of doing…"

Goku turned his head. "You'll just have to see for yourself." He cryptically declared. "Guys, make sure she doesn't take off after me." He said to Piccolo and the Outers, who nodded. Goku then put two fingers on his forehead and disappeared.

"GOKU!" Serena shouted.

* * *

"Onward!" Medusa shouted in delight. "The conquering forces of Bashgal are at long last back!"

"Yes, now it's time to test our army!" Chimera shouted in glee as she heard people already screaming in fear below.

The Numba behind the four Sprite Sisters roared in anticipation, and Mordred at the head smirked, carrying his helmet in the crook of his arm as he rushed toward battle. He widened his eyes when he saw a man in an orange gi appear out of thin air and halted himself, the army following his lead.

"One of them…?" Charybdis questioned.

"Oh it's you…Goku, right?" Mordred mocked. "Have you come to save West City from conquest and destruction? How noble of you! This will be fun." Mordred smirked. "A Super Saiyan triple crown! What an accomplished fighter I am!"

Goku smirked and powered up, blowing a fierce wind as his robust golden aura surrounded him and his hair and eyes changed color. Electricity crackled around his body.

* * *

"I can feel my dad's energy!" Goten smiled from the Lookout as he watched the reflection hologram emitting from Netpune's mirror.

The other Sailor Scouts exercised their newfound senses and smiled at the enormous power that Goku emitted.

"Your father is an incredible man, Goten." Piccolo explained.

"Ohh…" Serena groaned in sadness. She knew that despite his power level, it wasn't enough to stop Mordred.

* * *

"Woah…unreal…" Trunks said as he stopped over the city. "Goten's dad's power is enormous! He must be as strong as…as my dad."

* * *

Mordred smirked. "I don't understand why you Saiyans pride yourselves so highly on this useless party trick! You've dyed your hair and put contact lenses in your eyes, I'm not impressed!" He bellowed haughtily.

"I guess an Ascended Super Saiyan isn't much of a challenge for you, so what do you say I take it up to the next level?" Goku asked with a smirk.

* * *

"The next level…?" Amara trailed as she looked at the hologram.

"Goku, what are you doing?" Piccolo asked in tense curiosity.

Serena still groaned in sadness while Hotaru widened her eyes.

Everyone was sweating; the tension in the area was thick enough to cut with a knife.

* * *

_Trunks isn't going to make it back to Capsule Corp in time._ Goku thought. "How would you guys like a demonstration?" Goku smirked at them.

"So are you now reduced to begging for mercy by performing tricks to amuse Master Mordred?" Scylla taunted.

"Perhaps." Goku smirked and then powered down, his hair and eyes reverting back to their original colors.

"Surrender won't work." Mordred smirked. "I have my mind set on a triple crown. So reverting back will only make it easier for me to kill you."

"First I thought I'd teach you a thing or two about Super Saiyans, starting with the basics." Goku declared.

"I told you, your party tricks don't impress me." Mordred smirked.

The Sprite Sisters transformed into their true forms, getting ready for a fight. Goku took note to not look Medusa in her eyes.

"You're going to love this, trust me." He smirked. "What you're seeing now is my normal state." Goku explained. He then powered up, his hair standing upright and turning gold, his eyes turning blue, and a gentle flame surrounding his body. "This is a Super Saiyan." He smiled. "And this…" He powered up further, his hair becoming more defined and his aura becoming more robust, now accompanied by crackling electricity. "This is what is known as a Super Saiyan that has ascended past a Super Saiyan! Or, you can just call this a Super Saiyan Two!" Goku explained.

Mordred yawned in mockery, only casually paying attention.

"How useless!" Chimera sneered. "It still won't save you from Master Mordred! Why don't you just lay down and die, that will save us some time!"

"Heh…just wait!" Goku answered her sneer confidently.

* * *

"Has he really found a way to surpass an Ascended Saiyan?" Piccolo asked, looking at the hologram with a nervous sweat. "…Is that…possible…?"

"He must be bluffing!" Krillin answered. "I mean…what would that make him…double ascended?"

Serena's eyes were still full of worry as she watched the scene. "Goku…"

* * *

"And this!" Goku smirked.

* * *

"What's he…doing…?" Master Roshi asked.

* * *

"Is…to go…even further beyond!" Goku declared with a hard face. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" He screamed, powering up as sweat poured down his face. His hair began to rustle.

"UHH!" Piccolo shouted as he sensed the energy.

"GGGUU!" Krillin grunted.

"AH!" Goten noised.

The Sailor Scouts all gasped in shock as they utilized their new abilities to sense power levels. The energy Goku began to emit was even more tremendous than previously.

* * *

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Goku shouted as he continued to power up, his aura glowing solid gold and blazing like the sun.

Mordred only smiled in amusement as he watched.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Goku yelled some more, the water underneath him darting in all directions from the power he was putting out.

Mordred's smile finally dropped as he curiously watched the display. His cape had begun to blow back.

The Sprite Sisters gasped as they watched the clouds dart away from them as if some invisible hurricane was blowing. Goku's voice still resounded throughout the area.

"It's…unreal…!" Piccolo yelled in shock. The Lookout, and indeed, the whole world had begun to shake. "HOW IS HE GENERATING THAT MUCH POWER?"

Amara, Michelle, and Trista were asking themselves the same question as their longtime mentor as the Lookout quaked beneath them. Hotaru looked at the display herself in shock- very rare for Sailor Saturn.

"Do it dad!" Goten cheered.

"It's too much!" Krillin shouted.

Serena gasped as she looked at Goku and felt his energy…it continued to grow!

* * *

Trunks stopped in mid-flight. "What's going on…? Goten's dad is putting out even more energy than before! …I…need to go…!" He said to himself and flew toward Capsule Corp.

* * *

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Goku continued to power up. The waves in the water reached tsunami status and hurricane like winds blew across the area. The residents of West City were even more terrified than before. "AHHHHHHHH!" Goku continued, his hair growing longer.

The Numba looked on in shock and even fear as they saw Goku emitting so much light and power.

"AAAAHHHHHHHH!" He yelled.

* * *

"Ami…why don't you try and get a reading with your computer?" Rini asked in shock.

"…Sure…!" Ami herself replied in rare surprise. She pulled out her computer and typed on the keyboard, but was shocked when the screen broke and emitted static electricity.

"Unreal…!" Lita gasped.

"Luna…I need a new computer now…" Ami trailed with wide eyes.

The cat paid no attention as she, Artemis, and Diana looked at the hologram with eyes wide as saucers.

* * *

"AAAAAHHHHH AHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!" Goku screamed.

* * *

"It feels like the whole world is shaking apart!" Tien said in the wilderness, with a shocked Chiaotzu behind him. "What is Goku doing…? If he doesn't stop this…everything is going to be destroyed!"

* * *

"AAHHHH AHHHHAAHHHHH!" Goku shouted with his hair now very long. "HAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" He powered up one last bit, flooding the entire area with golden light.

"WOAH!" The Sprite Sisters screamed and somersaulted back due to the gust of wind, unable to sustain themselves even in their true forms. The Numba quickly followed their lead.

Mordred gritted his teeth and frowned to shield himself from the light, feeling himself being blown back slightly. "UHHHHH…!" He noised in shock as he looked at the sight.

Goku stood firm in the air, bathed in golden light. His hair was now spiky long and down to his waist. His eyebrows were completely gone, and he had noticeable black pupils in his blue-green eyes. He turned to stare at Mordred menacingly.

"UHHH…HNNN!" His grey eyes were wide in shock.

Even larger sparks of electricity crackled around Goku's body and his aura was even more robust.

* * *

Everyone at the Lookout gasped in complete stunning shock at what they saw.

* * *

"I'm sorry that took so much longer than the others." Goku smiled at Mordred. "But I haven't had much occasion to practice this one! This is what I call a Super Saiyan Three!"

"UHHH….UHHH!" Mordred still could not find words.

Goku stared tensely at Mordred and his recovering army.

* * *

"There's a Super Saiyan Three now…? Oh…" Master Roshi was the only one at the Lookout capable of talking at that moment.

Serena's jaw was still wide in shock, though she was also still worried.

* * *

The Z Sword glinted as Gohan, in his Super Saiyan form looked to the distance. "Do you feel that energy?" He asked as Kibito gasped in shock. "If I didn't know better I'd say that was my dad… But that's…crazy!"

Queen Serenity and the Supreme Kai's eyes were both wide in shock.

"Impossible…!" She gasped. "This is unreal…!"

"It…is Goku!" The Supreme Kai declared. "I have no idea how…but it's definitely your father! I'm certain!"

"That…that can't be Goku!" Kibito denied. "Saiyan powers are not strong enough to be felt _this_ far away!"

"Well…it is…" Gohan's blue-green eyes were wide. "And I don't think that's a good thing…!"

* * *

**Yer damn right I ended it there! HURR! Goku will fight Mordred in the next installment. See ya then!**


	17. Goku vs Mordred

Trunks arrived at Capsule Corp, desperate to find the Dragon Radar, but his grandparents were giving him the run around.

"Hurry up! We don't have time!" He shouted in frustration.

* * *

Mordred gritted his teeth in anger as Goku stared him down. The lack of eyebrows and the noticeable pupils made his stare that much more frightening.

The Sprite Sisters recovered and looked at Goku's new form with widened eyes. Chimera eventually managed to speak.

"This new power, it still won't help you against Master Mordred!"

Chimera's voice brought Mordred back to his senses. He reverted to his smirk. "I'm always up for a challenge! This Super whatever, it's ridiculous! I'm going to give you a much needed haircut!"

"I'm ready." Goku didn't flinch. Electricity crackled around his face. "Show me what you've got."

Not a sound was spoken at the Lookout, and no one looked at the hologram from Michelle's mirror without a nervous sweat.

"GO GO MORDRED HE'S OUR MAN IF HE CAN'T DO IT NO ONE CAN!" The Sprite Sisters all shouted and danced in the air with pom-poms. The Numba began to follow their lead and dance to the cheer.

Mordred smirked and placed his helmet on his head. Goku stared, readying himself for the battle of his life.

"EN GARDE!"

Goku sped forward, and the next thing Mordred knew, he was being kicked in the face. Mordred groaned in surprise and pain as he sped through the air at incredible velocity.

"HUH?" The Sprite Sisters drooped their pom-poms and stared at the scene in gape-mouthed shock.

Goku gritted his teeth and dematerialized, reappearing to kick Mordred again and send him tumbling back. Goku flew toward Mordred and grabbed his arm, delivering a powerful punch to his face, making Mordred cry out. Goku followed it up with a flurry and then threw Mordred away, sending him plummeting toward the ground. Mordred crashed to the Earth, making a huge impact crater on the outskirts of West City, as if an asteroid had struck.

"MASTER MORDRED!" The Sprite Sisters shouted.

* * *

"OH YEAH!" Krillin shouted in joy. "I DON'T SEE WHY GOKU DIDN'T DO THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

"…He did that…?" Mina asked, stunned.

Serena's mouth was wide open in a smile. She relished every hit that Goku delivered on Mordred, feeling pleasure at seeing the bastard in pain. She was surprised and a little saddened at those feelings, but he had done more than enough in his long life to deserve it.

"I knew it! No one in the world can beat my dad!" Goten chimed.

"Perhaps…" Piccolo trailed nervously. "But I still don't think Goku can do this alone…"

"Well if Goku can't do it…is there anyone that can…?" Bulma trailed nervously.

"I hope." Piccolo answered.

* * *

Goku stared down at the dust coming out of the crater. The Sprite Sisters were screaming behind him, wailing for Mordred to get up, but not one of them dared attack him. The three Numba nearest to Goku were not as intelligent.

The strengthened Numba rushed at Goku with a roar. The Saiyan easily turned, chopping one in the face with his left hand, kicking another with his right leg, and blasting the third with his right hand. Two exploded, the other vaporized.

"RRR!" The other Numba roared, about to move and then staying put as they saw the display.

Mordred gritted his teeth underneath his helmet and moved his fingers to get the blood flowing through him again. He rushed up; utilizing the distraction the three foolish Numba had created to appear in front of Goku.

"Huh?" Goku was taken aback in surprise. The dematerialization technique wouldn't allow him to get that far. He had to have appeared via magical teleportation. Mordred cackled and punched Goku in the face.

* * *

"Oh no!" Amara gasped at the Lookout.

"Goku!" Lita shouted in concern- she had felt those devastating punches before.

"…" Serena's eyes drooped as she saw the hit.

* * *

Goku floated back several feet, Mordred cackling. His cackle was interrupted when Goku looked back at him smiling, completely unhurt.

"Uhhh…" Mordred trailed in surprise, and then smiled. "Hahahahah!"

Goku gritted his teeth and rushed forward, kicking Mordred in the face. Mordred caught himself and rushed back, delivering a painful punch to Goku, Goku responding in kind. The two exchanged a series of strikes, blocking and dodging each other as they sped across the sky.

Mordred pulled out the Strife Mace. "Cosmic Ray Lightning Shower!" He yelled as bolts of white lightning erupted out of the mace.

Goku grimaced and placed two fingers on his head, using instant transmission to appear at the back column of Mordred's army, avoiding the lightning. He turned toward the nearest growling Numba.

"GRRR!"

Goku narrowed his eyes and elbowed that one in the face. It exploded from the power.

"RAH!"

Goku punched that one in the face with his other arm, eliciting a similar result.

"RRRR!" Another Numba with menacing horns growled and rushed at Goku, who easily dodged.

"GRRAA!" A shorter one joined his comrade, Goku dodging it's fist as well.

As the two turned, Goku hit one with a spinning back fist, and the other with a spinning roundhouse, cutting them both in half and causing them to explode. Goku gritted his teeth and rushed at a rather short one, causing it to yelp. He kicked it in the chest, splitting the Numba in two and causing yet another explosion. Goku turned around and widened his eyes to see Mordred had caught up with him.

Mordred put two hands out in front and blasted Goku.

"AHH!" Goku screamed as the red energy blast hit him, giving him burns and sending him flying.

Mordred smirked and rushed forward. Goku back flipped in the air, catching himself. The two rushed at each other, Goku landing a knee to Mordred's face. He followed it up with a stiff right to the jaw, and then an energy blast of his own.

"GAAH!" Mordred shouted as the searing yellow energy crashed into his cuirass. Goku followed it up by rushing at Mordred and kicking him in the same spot. Mordred groaned in pain. Goku finished the combo with a stiff uppercut that sent Mordred flying up into the air and crashing back down to the ground by the water. "GRRR!" Mordred gritted his teeth in anger as he landed on all fours, creating dents in the ground with each limb.

Goku looked down at his handiwork, and then glanced to his right to see a nearby Numba.

"No, please! I'm just following orders!" The short mucus creature begged.

Goku gritted his teeth slightly and rushed forward, striking the creature with a downward right hand to the chest. It exploded in death instantly.

_Trunks!_ Goku thought. _What's taking you so long? I can't keep fighting like this forever, you need to hurry up!_

Goku casually threw a punch over his shoulder at a Numba that tried to sneak up on him, pulverizing his face and causing it to explode. He frowned when he saw Mordred rushing right back at him, and got ready for the real fight once again.

* * *

"WHERE IS IT?" Trunks shouted, unable to stand still as his grandfather, Dr. Brief, was searching around in his lab. "WHERE IS IT? WHERE IS IT?"

"Would you like some roast beef Trunks? Or maybe some ham and cheese?" His grandmother, Mrs. Brief kept suggesting.

* * *

Goku and Mordred gritted their teeth as they exchanged blows, disappearing and reappearing all over the sky. The visual evidence of their clash could only be seen as sparks. Not even the Sprite Sisters could fully keep up with the two fighters. Along the way, tens of Numba were being destroyed.

The two fighters materialized and Goku kicked Mordred in the face, following it up with a flurry of kicks to the chest.

"ARRG!" Mordred screamed in pain with each one.

* * *

"That's it! Show that slimy snake who's boss!" Krillin cheered.

"Incredible!" Amara grinned. "He's actually taking the time to destroy as many Numba as he possibly can, all the while fighting off Mordred, what a guy!"

"If he destroys enough of the army Mordred will have no choice but to withdraw and regroup, giving us more time to prepare!" Michelle was equally happy at what she was witnessing.

"What a fighter he must be to have the wherewithal to do all of that!" Trista joined in.

Their faces drooped somewhat when they saw the nervous look and sweat of Piccolo. All of them realized that it was far from over.

"Get him dad!" Goten cheered.

"Three cheers for Goku!" Rini chimed and pulled out her white fans with rabbits on them. "HURRAY FOR GOKU! HURRAY FOR GOKU!" She cheered, startling everyone else on the lookout. "HE CAN DO IT YES HE CAN! HURRAY FOR GOKU!"

Hotaru looked down at the shorter girl and giggled at her antics, remembering the time Rini had done that for her. She then hardened her eyes and looked back at the hologram coming from the Deep Aqua Mirror.

* * *

Mordred rematerialized and looked around. "Where'd he go?" He asked with clenched teeth.

Goku answered the question by reappearing and giving him a hard right hand to the cheek, sending Mordred plummeting downward.

"RAAAA!" Mordred shouted once he caught himself and sent a blast of yellow energy toward Goku.

Goku rushed forward, deflecting it with his hand. Mordred met him and threw a series of punches, which Goku dodged. The two met again, trading fists and kicks. Mordred grabbed Goku, punched him in the face, and roundhouse kicked him in the chest, sending the Saiyan flying back. Mordred rushed after him and followed his strikes up with a swing of the Strife Mace.

"AHHH!" Goku cried out in wide-eyed pain as the magical force of the mace sent him spiraling back. He plummeted into the sea with a huge splash that sent water as high as Mordred and his army was floating.

* * *

The Inners widened their eyes and gasped.

"Goku!" Mina shouted.

"I hate that mace!" Lita grimaced. "I wish someone would snap that thing in two!"

"Do you think Goku will be ok?" Ami asked.

"He'll be all right." Piccolo responded. "I've seen him take much worse hits than that."

* * *

Goku rematerialized a few feet away from Mordred, staring at him with a poker face. The stare down continued for a couple of seconds until Goku began to shout.

"Super Kaio-ken Three!"

Mordred was taken aback when he saw a red aura surrounding Goku. He didn't even register Goku's approach before he was kicked in the stomach.

"GGGAAAHHH!" Mordred shouted in pain with his eyes as wide as the sky underneath his helmet. Blood leaked out of his mouth as he felt the most searing pain he'd had since the Battle of Tros. Mordred noticed the huge dent Goku's foot had created in the middle of his cuirass. Soon, he felt a blow to his temple that made him see stars, even with his helmet on, as he saw Goku's fist surrounded by the red aura slamming into him. Mordred felt himself crashing into the sea and then into the sea floor at a diagonal angle, creating a huge cavern before he was finally at rest.

The red aura surrounding Goku dissipated as he waited for Mordred to recover. He held his hands out on his sides and sent two beams out, vaporizing the Numba in their paths. He followed it up by turning and doing the same. Goku widened his eyes when he saw Mordred reappear via magical teleportation right in front of him.

"AHHH!" Goku shouted with glazed eyes when he felt Mordred painfully kick him in the gut.

Goku quickly recovered and responded with a roundhouse of his own, followed by an elbow to the face. Goku cupped his hands and moved them back on his right side as Mordred tumbled away.

"KAMEHAMEHA!" He shouted and sent a blue beam toward his enemy.

Mordred recovered and lifted the Strife Mace, dispelling the attack. Goku looked on in surprise, and then widened his eyes when he saw the head of the Strife Mace pointing toward him.

"BLAZAR!" Mordred gleefully shouted.

* * *

"No!" Michelle gasped. "That's the attack that killed Rei!"

"GOKU!" Serena shouted in concern.

"He'll handle it!" Piccolo assured.

* * *

Goku put two fingers on his head and transmitted out of the way, reappearing on Mordred's side.

"What?" Mordred gasped when he saw Goku.

"Kamehameha!" Goku shouted and released his beam.

Mordred was able to block it so that he wouldn't be swallowed by the beam, but it did send him flying back. Goku took off after him. Punching and kicking two Numba along the way, destroying them. He caught up with Mordred and punched him in the stomach.

"AAHHH!" Mordred gurgled in pain.

* * *

"I can't believe this! Goku is the best!" Mina shouted in excitement.

"He's finally giving that bastard what he deserves!" Lita seconded.

"What is taking Trunks so long…?" Michelle trailed, breaking up their excitement.

"Judging from my calculations, it should have only taken him two minutes to find the radar at Capsule Corp." Ami stated, causing the other Inners to droop their eyes.

"Why do we need Trunks, Goku's in charge! He's got this handled!" Mina said with a huge smile.

"Not to jump the gun or anything, but I think you're right Mina, he's definitely got Mordred on the ropes!" Serena smiled in hope, watching the exchange of blows the two shared, with Goku landing most of the hits. The battle was so intense that electricity crackled around both combatants.

"Don't get too excited."

Everyone widened their eyes in curiosity.

"What's wrong Hotaru?" Serena asked.

Her purple eyes remained hard as she watched the scene. "While Goku's power is indeed extraordinary, far beyond anything we'd ever imagined, and he's more than matching Mordred, I doubt he will be able to hold on to this Super Saiyan Three form for long, look more closely."

* * *

Goku was sweating as he took a punch from Mordred, catching himself in midair.

* * *

"As powerful as Goku is, Mordred is still no pushover." Hotaru continued. "And it's easy to see that Mordred is beyond powerful enough to hold Goku off. I doubt Goku will have enough stamina to generate the power needed to destroy him."

Everyone sighed.

"Way to go and bring us crashing back down to reality, Hotaru." Serena moped.

* * *

Goku gritted his teeth and punched Mordred with a furious flurry, electricity pouring out of the blows. Mordred felt each fist to the face and gut, his armor becoming seriously dented. Goku finished it off with a powerful left uppercut hook to the face.

"MASTER MORDRED!" The Sprite Sisters shouted in terror.

Mordred redoubled his efforts and punched Goku, making his lip bleed and the two exchanged blows once again.

* * *

The residents of West City were terrified as they saw lightning overhead erupting from two of the flying forms.

"If they keep this up they'll destroy our town!" One resident shouted.

"The town? They'll destroy the whole planet!" Another countered.

* * *

Mordred threw a punch at Goku, who dematerialized.

Goku reappeared around one hundred feet away, destroying the two nearest Numba with a punch and kick.

Mordred grunted and rushed toward him, to be met with the same result: Goku avoiding his blow by dematerializing, reappearing, and destroying the nearest Numba. He looked at Goku in the near distance, lightning gathering around him and flashing outward, actually destroying a Numba along the way. Mordred gritted his teeth and rushed forward, Goku repeating his antics. Mordred grunted in rage as he watched his army dwindling because of the Saiyan and continued his attacks.

Goku rushed forward and kneed Mordred in the face, sending him spiraling back. He then turned his attention to the gathered Numba, and unleashed a storm of energy blasts, hitting them with astounding accuracy.

"OUR ARMY!" The Sprite Sisters shouted.

* * *

"Hold on Goku…" Piccolo muttered. "You're doing great."

"He's managed to kill a large portion of the Numba, I'm guessing around eighty percent of them." Trista stated as she watched Goku continue to punch, kick, and blast any Numba around him.

"And look at the Sprite Sisters! They're too scared to even fight!" Lita shouted in triumph.

"I can't believe I forgot!" Bulma suddenly erupted.

"What'd you say Bulma?" Master Roshi asked.

"Trunks is looking in the wrong place for the Dragon Radar!"

"Huh?" Everyone looked at her.

"Sorry, it must have slipped my mind earlier, but after we went to look for the Dragonballs, I left it in the airplane!"

"WHAT?" Everyone shouted.

"Does Trunks know?" Krillin ran toward her.

"What'd I just say?" Bulma asked sarcastically.

"Oh yeah, but in situations like this it's really hard for me! I just crumble under pressure!" Krillin sighed.

"We have to get in touch with Trunks immediately!" Master Roshi interrupted. "Go find a phone Krillin!"

"I haven't seen a phone up here my entire life!" Krillin countered, exasperated.

"Hey, I always carry my phone with me!" Videl said as she pulled out the device. "I know you all rely on your special powers, but I think you should look into technology once in a while, I don't know what I'd do without it."

"Hey…how would we play all those cool games at the arcade if we didn't look into technology!" Serena asked with a goofy smile.

"And that takes her away from her studies!" Ami sighed.

Serena moped. She knew she and Rei would have had an argument over that.

"Excellent!" Krillin said as they all smiled. "Now uhh, how do you work this thing?"

"Oh yes, and what would we have done without you?" Master Roshi asked while putting a finger on her chest.

Trista gasped and covered Rini's eyes while Hotaru blushed.

"OW!" Master Roshi yelped as Videl smacked him to the ground.

* * *

Goku landed a furious flurry of punches and kicks on his enemy. Mordred recovered and threw an energy blast at Goku, which he blocked and countered with one of his own, which Mordred dispelled. Mordred sent another, bigger blast at Goku. The Saiyan gritted his teeth and deflected it away with both hands.

"WOAH!" The Sprite Sisters shouted nervously and dodged the big ball of red energy.

It created a massive red explosion when it collided with the ground in the distance, sending a hurricane-like wind toward the fighters. Goku gritted his teeth as he watched.

* * *

Everyone at the Lookout nervously looked at the scene as the world shook, Michelle struggling to hold up the Deep Aqua Mirror. Amara ran over and helped her out.

* * *

"Huh?" Gohan noised as he lowered the Z Sword, looking toward the Earth. The Kais and Queen Serenity joined him. _Father, you must be fighting one incredible battle, I can sense it all the way out here!_ He thought.

"Gohan, this may be the one fight your father won't be able to win." The Supreme Kai declared as Gohan turned toward him with a surprised look.

Kibito, on the Supreme Kai's left grunted his agreement.

"Mordred is a very resilient fighter." Queen Serenity, situated to the right of the Supreme Kai declared. "I've seen it first hand." She continued. "Goku's just not going to be able to fight at this intensity forever, and unfortunately, it's not powerful enough to destroy him outright. He'll find a way to survive. He always does!" She huffed at the last sentence, surprising Gohan, who hadn't expected that from her.

"If you want to put an end to Mordred's sinister plans once and for all, you must learn how to fight with that sword." The Supreme Kai declared. "You must use it as an extension of yourself. That is the only way."

"I'll keep trying!" Gohan responded. He grunted as he lifted the Z Sword, staggering back. Kibito pushed him forward and Gohan stumbled. "I swear this thing's getting heavier!" Gohan laughed.

"Visualize Gohan!" Kibito suggested. "See the sword and yourself as a single entity, one not complete without the other."

The Supreme Kai and Queen Serenity smiled as they watched Gohan continue to swing the sword.

* * *

Mordred laughed as his cape, though now a bit tattered, blew in the wind. "You haven't done a very good job protecting this planet!" He cackled.

Goku stared at him with no expression, his long hair blowing in the wind. "Mordred, I'm a man of courtesy, as well as strength." He smirked. "So, even though we're mortal enemies, I've got to tell you that I'm quite impressed with your fighting techniques! I've fought beings from beyond nameless galaxies and you by far are the best!"

Mordred only cackled, his ego inflated.

* * *

"Yeah mom, I've got it! Thanks so much, you're life saver!" Trunks said, still on the phone as he took the Dragon Radar from the plane that Dr. Brief let out of the capsule. "I'll see you soon!"

"Well Trunks, now you'll have time for a relaxing lunch!" Mrs. Brief said in excitement.

"What is it with you and food?" Trunks said in exasperation. "Gotta go, love ya!" Trunks shouted and took off.

"Gosh, I can't believe he came all this way and left without eating anything!" Mrs. Brief said as she watched the yellow vapor trail from Trunks' flight.

* * *

Goku shifted his eyes to the left, sensing Trunks. _There he is! Good! He's heading back to the Lookout. He must have finally found the Dragon Radar! Guess it's time for me to wrap up my business here and head back too._ Goku smirked at his handiwork. The Numba had been all but destroyed. He knew Mordred would have to regroup. He'd bought some time…for now. Goku reverted back to normal.

"…Why'd you go back to normal?" Mordred asked, legitimately confused. "You think I won't kill you where you float?"

"Well, I've got some place to be, and time won't allow me to fight you all day!" Goku answered. "It's time for me to say goodbye."

"I never said you could leave." Mordred gritted.

Goku frowned. "That's not your decision. I think you'd better go and regroup your forces, you seem to be a bit short on soldiers!" He grinned.

Mordred gritted his teeth and made angry grunts. "I'll get you for that!"

Goku continued to frown. "Mordred! I'm giving you a last chance! If you don't change your ways, warriors stronger than me will come and destroy you and your plans for good!" He declared.

"Warriors stronger than you huh?" Mordred smirked. "Don't think I'll freeze in fear! No matter who they are, they won't be strong enough to face Lord Bashgal!"

"We'll stop you before that happens!" Goku declared with a smirk. "We've seen today that you're not immune from surprises- or pain!"

Mordred snarled.

"See ya!" Goku bid him adieu and put two fingers on his head, transmitting to the Lookout instantly.

"…Where'd he go?" Mordred looked around.

"You're not just gonna let that rat get away are you master?" Scylla asked angrily.

"Go get him!" Charybdis seconded.

"He must pay for his insolence!" Medusa shouted.

"You need to show him the price of defiance!" Chimera joined in.

"SHUT UP!" Mordred screamed, making them all backtrack in fear. "I'll have to get a new set of armor now…!" Mordred said angrily. "Come, we need to raise another army, now!" Mordred ordered.

The Sprite Sisters immediately obeyed and followed after him, along with the smattering of remaining Numba.

* * *

"GOKU!" Everyone shouted when he returned.

"Daddy!" Goten smiled and ran toward him. "You were great dad!"

Father and son shared a hug. Goku was breathing heavily.

"Goku…are you ok?" Serena asked in concern.

"I'm fine!" He smiled at her.

"Goku." Serena suddenly constricted her eyes in a pout. "Why were you hiding that much power from us…?"

"Sorry!" Goku smiled as he continued to catch his breath. "Super Saiyan Three isn't the easiest thing in the world to do; I didn't think we'd need it."

"Trunks found the Dragon Radar and is on his way back!" Bulma smiled at her childhood friend. "So we've avoided one catastrophe I guess!"

"Make that two." Amara stated, stepping forward. "I gotta hand it to you Goku." She smirked in admiration. "Going Super Saiyan Three and actually pummeling him was good enough, but you destroyed most of his army."

"Now he'll have to gather his forces again. He won't be able to extract fear and pain from people on an industrial scale with that pitiful band." Michelle smirked sarcastically. "That was really amazing, Goku."

"Thanks." Goku smiled, still sweating heavily. "And now we can undo all his damage, every last bit of it."

"Hopefully now we'll be ready before he attacks again." Hotaru said.

"Yeah." Goku nodded. "Let's get back to work everyone!" His face hardened.

They all nodded and proceeded back to work with their instructors.


	18. Plan from the Other World

"We're gonna have to teach the boys the fusion technique fast Piccolo." Goku declared as he, Piccolo, Krillin, Goten, and the three adult Outers looked down at the Earth from the edge of the Lookout. "I have less than an hour." He looked at them all seriously.

"But it hasn't been twenty-four hours since you came to the tournament, Goku!" Serena objected, walking up to them all.

"No, you must have more than that!" Piccolo seconded.

"Why do you have to leave so soon dad? Please don't, I like you!" Goten said with childish eyes.

"I like you too Goten, but it seems Super Saiyan Three is a level that can only be handled in Other World. The living world has more rules than Other World; it seems transforming takes too much energy, so I got very, very tired."

"Oh no! So that's why you seem so exhausted huh?" Krillin asked.

"A little fatigue and energy loss is nothing Dende can't take care of!" Piccolo said.

"No I…can't. For this I have to return to the Other World." Goku smiled.

"Tick tock tick tock." An old woman dressed like a witch said as she rode to the Lookout on top of a crystal ball. "At the tone, your time remaining on this Earth will be thirty minutes."

"Baba what are you…thirty minutes?" Goku asked while nervously rubbing his head. "GAH! Is that all the time I've got?"

Serena looked on curiously.

"At the tone Goku. Beep!" Baba sounded.

"Trunks had better hurry up! There's no time!"

"Goku, don't worry." Amara assured. "If worst comes to worst, we can teach everyone the fusion technique.

"Ami should be coming out of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber soon with Yamcha. Mina's next. And then we can get started on our fusions." Michelle said.

"But it would be much more efficient for the boys to get a private lesson from Goku." Trista said. "Trunks needs to hurry up!"

Serena widened her eyes at their conversation.

* * *

"HHHYAAAHHH!" Gohan grunted as he swung the Z Sword. _The sword is an extension of my body!_ Gohan thought. _Feel the sword! Be the sword!_ "HAAAUHHH!" Gohan jumped and swung the heavy blade.

The Supreme Kai and Kibito widened their eyes at Gohan's ability with the blade. Queen Serenity smiled.

"AHH!" Gohan grunted as the sword pulled him forward, his eyes wide.

"Don't hurt yourself Gohan!" The Supreme Kai shouted.

Gohan fell on his behind and looked up with a goofy smile.

"Perhaps a breather would do well for you Gohan." Queen Serenity suggested.

"Nah." Gohan smiled. "I'm just fine, and I gotta get stronger if we're gonna beat Mordred right?" He got back up and trained with the sword again.

"Amazing. Gohan's natural ability to handle the Z Sword with such finesse is uncanny. I've never seen anything quite like it master." Kibito declared.

"What did I tell you Kibito? Gohan is the one." The Supreme Kai smiled as Gohan continued to work. "Everything is going according to my plan. Soon enough, he'll be ready to fight, and take Mordred out for good."

"And you were full of doubt before." Queen Serenity smirked at Kibito.

The pinkish Kai grimaced.

"Don't wear yourself out Gohan!" The Supreme Kai smiled as Gohan dropped to the ground to catch his breath. "Rest for a few minutes!"

"No, I still have a long way to go!" Gohan refused and got back to work. _I won't let them down again! I'm willing to give everything I've got; I just hope that's enough! Until then, all I can do is practice!_ He thought as he swung the sword.

Queen Serenity smiled in admiration.

* * *

Trunks, Goten, and Piccolo sweated in embarrassment when Goku demonstrated the Fusion Technique.

_Listen to that._ Piccolo thought as he observed Goku's heavy breathing. _He sounds pathetic. I still can't believe how much energy Goku lost becoming a Super Saiyan Three._

"Ok guys! I hope you were paying close attention, you're gonna have to do the exact same moves in perfect symmetry. …What's wrong?" Goku asked when he saw the blank look on the two boys' faces.

"I don't think Goten knows what symmetry is…sir." Trunks trailed.

All had gathered to watch the demonstration, except for Ami and Yamcha, who were still in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Amara and Michelle explained to the others that they would do the same eventually, and the best way to start was to get a first-hand look.

"Well it's…how should I put it?" Goku wondered. "It's like…well no mirrors…oh, I've got it! Piccolo and I can show you how it's done!

"Huh?" Piccolo grunted involuntarily. "A…are you sure…?" Piccolo grimaced as Goku grinned at him.

Michelle laughed as Piccolo grunted, holding his arms out. The Namek grunted at her, but this only caused Amara and Trista to join in. The other Sailor Scouts looked on in wide-eyed curiosity.

"Now watch us very carefully, we only have time to demonstrate this once!" Goku declared. "FU…" Goku said as he and Piccolo danced toward each other. "SION" They stretched their arms and bent their knees. "HA!" Their fingers joined. "That…is symmetry!"

Piccolo blushed in embarrassment.

"Is this fusion or a junior high prom?" Krillin asked in bewilderment.

"I don't ever remember dancing with a guy that way…" Lita trailed.

_I can't believe that we have to do this stupid dance!_ Amara grimaced in thought.

"Uhh…I don't know if I can do this…" Serena trailed.

"Now, are you two ready to give it a try?"

"Yes!" The two boys answered Goku and rushed forward.

"Goku, would you have really asked Vegeta to do this fusion move with you if he were still alive?" Piccolo asked. "It's just that…well I can't imagine Vegeta subjecting himself to something like this!"

"Why not? What's wrong?" Goku asked, ever oblivious.

"It's sort of…"

"Hey dad, look at this!" Goten got his attention.

* * *

Mordred opened a doorway, followed by his entourage, the Sprite Sisters. He sat in a chair beside a staircase leading up to a throne. Mordred had gone to another one of his hidden lairs.

"Step up production; we need a new army at once!" He ordered, still breathing heavily from his fight with Goku.

"Master Mordred…I've never seen you so exhausted." Chimera trailed as Mordred stood up to change his clothes, making the Sprite blush.

"That was the first real fight I had in a long time." Mordred breathed heavily as he used a towel to wipe off his sweat. "That guy was far stronger than those other Saiyans we ran into. I don't know how, but Princess Serenity really managed to find a decent ally this time. We'll have to be more careful next time. One thing the Duke taught me was that even the weakest enemy can sometimes find a way to win."

"Yes Master Mordred." Chimera reluctantly agreed.

"Now, step up production!" He ordered again. "And where are those damn Astravul?" He seethed. "Mercenaries…late as always!"

Chimera strolled over to a banister in the throne room overlooking a laboratory complex below. Numba were roaring and crying out as they grew in tubes of special liquid. Computers did the work in ensuring the best genes be assembled to make a Numba of sufficient strength and flexibility, combined with accelerated cell division to ensure more rapid growth and recovery should they be wounded in battle. Indeed, the scene was reminiscent of Germatoid's lab as he assembled Daimons for Pharoah 90, or unknown to Mordred, Dr. Gero's project to create Cell.

_Damn Saiyan!_ Mordred thought as he was gathering another suit of armor. _Well next time I'll make sure to show up with a much larger force, you won't throw me off like that again!_

_

* * *

_

Mina was angry and beyond frustrated. While she had got levitation down, she was still having a lot of trouble with doing the advanced moves in flight. She grimaced as even Rini had gotten the trade down by then! She growled as she watched Hotaru and Rini sparring with each other in mid flight, laughing along the way.

"Mina, what's the matter?" Serena asked curiously as she flew over to her, Rini following her future mother's lead.

Mina only continued to growl. "Why can't I fly!" She shouted.

"Mina, you'll figure it out, Mr. Popo is readying the Hyperbolic Time Chamber for you as we speak." Ami said, trying to calm her friend down.

"You'd better hurry it up too; you all have to get ready for fusion soon." Trista ordered.

The Inners all looked to her and nodded. Hotaru hovered over them and widened her eyes, looking up at the tower where Goten and Trunks were.

"Ok." She heard Goku's voice. "Start over again from the top guys and remember this time to stay with the rhythm. Ready? One, two." Goku counted as his son and Trunks came closer together. "One, two. One, two."

Hotaru was laughing as she saw the dance. Trunks turned around to glare at her as she leaned her chin over her crossed hands on the edge of the tower's open ground, but she only giggled harder. He then turned to look at Goku. "This fusion thing is lame."

"Huh? Kids today!" Goku smiled. "Fusion is anything but lame!" Goku lectured with his index finger raised. "The Metamorese people who taught this to me are some of the strongest warriors in the universe, thanks to fusion!"

"Ok…" Trunks trailed. "But first can you show me how you change into Super Saiyan Three?" Trunks asked excitedly.

"Huh?" Goku responded.

"Can you show me how to do it too dad?" Goten asked with the same excitement.

"Instead of wasting our time with this stupid fusion, wouldn't it be better if me and Goten both became Super Saiyan Three?"

"Yeah, I'm sure we can beat him then!" Goten agreed.

"But you guys aren't strong enough to become Super Saiyan Three!" Hotaru objected involuntarily.

"SHUT UP HOTARU!" They both growled, causing even the confident Sailor Saturn to widen her eyes in surprise at their fierceness.

"No. She's right." Goku stated. The boys turned to look at his frowning face. "The only way you can beat Mordred is by fusing together!

"Maybe your dad is right…" Trunks said to Goten.

"Great, now take it from the top!" Goku smiled. "…They look so sad." He said while looking at Goten and Trunks' wanting faces. Even Hotaru got in on the act. "Fine, I'll show you the Super Saiyan Three just one time!"

"Wow!" Trunks smiled.

"Go dad!" Goten cheered.

"But you have to promise me you'll learn to fuse afterwards." He followed.

Goten and Trunks nodded excitedly.

"Be smart Goku!" Piccolo yelled. "You'll lose what little time you have left on Earth!"

"I'm already out of time Piccolo." Goku smiled. "Trunks, Goten, Hotaru, watch closely!" He beckoned.

All three children nodded as Piccolo dropped his jaw and moved back.

"First, turn Super Saiyan." Goku smirked after he had done so.

They all nodded.

"RRRHHHH!" Goku shouted as his aura became more robust. "Then you go one step beyond that to a Super Saiyan Two, an Ascended Saiyan!"

"Uh huh!" They nodded.

"Then!"

They looked at him seriously.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" He shouted, sending Piccolo a few steps back.

Trunks and Goten yelped as they tumbled back due to the huge gust of wind Goku emitted and held on to a pillar and the edge respectively, Hotaru clinging on next to Goten.

* * *

Everyone down below looked up in shock as the Lookout shook.

"I'm…afraid!" Krillin babbled.

"What is Goku doing?" Serena shouted. "WOAW!" She yelled and tripped due to the shaking ground.

"GET OFF OF ME SERENA!" Rini wailed. "OW!" She yelled as she felt Serena on her back. "AND STOP EATING SO MUCH FOOD!"

Serena's eyes constricted and she moped.

"Darien help me up!" She ordered angrily.

Darien didn't pay attention to her, only gasping at what he felt and saw from the tower.

"Goku!" Amara gasped as she shielded her eyes from the blinding light.

* * *

"This next energy…has to come from deep inside!" Goku coughed, surrounded in a flame as bright as the sun. "Try hard to find it! HAAAAAAAAAAAA" Goku shouted as his hair grew. His aura finally lit the place up like a supernova.

Piccolo and the three children gasped when the light quickly died down. Goku emerged with waist length spiky gold hair, no eyebrows and noticeable pupils.

"Tap into that and you become a Super Saiyan Three!" He stated calmly. Then he got down on one knee as he powered down.

"Daddy!" Goten yelped.

"Goku!"

"Don't worry about me, I'm all right!" Goku smiled as he returned to normal. "Let's get back to work!"

Hotaru noticed a little witch zip past her and into the tower.

"Goku…your time's up Goku. That little stunt you just pulled drained the last grains of sand through your hourglass."

Goku gasped and then nodded at Baba.

"I'll gather everybody!" Hotaru declared and zipped down; telling them all that Goku's time was unfortunately up.

* * *

Everyone quickly gathered to see Goku off.

"Things aren't the same around here without you Goku." Master Roshi said. "These guys won't let me have any fun!"

"We'll miss you…" Bulma trailed.

"Goku, you still think about us when you're in Other World, don't you buddy?" Krillin asked, holding his daughter.

"Yeah!" Goku nodded.

"Goku…thanks so much for everything, Goku." Serena was on the verge of tears. "We've learned so much from you in such a short amount of time. You've given us all hope that we can actually do this!"

The other Sailor Scouts all nodded in agreement.

"Thanks Serena." Goku smiled warmly at her. "I'm honored to have met you Sailor Scouts. I know you'll all be a big help against Mordred. Just keep on fighting for what you believe in!"

"We'll do that…" Amara smiled warmly, Michelle placed her hand on Amara's when she realized the sadness in her voice and that she too was on the brink of tears, but would never admit it. Amara appreciated the gesture.

"Piccolo."

The Namek widened his eyes at Goku's voice.

"Pick up where I left off, ok? Amara, Michelle, and Trista, I trust you to help out as well. Teach everyone the fusion technique! Not everyone here is so graceful, but I believe in all of you!"

"But…Goku!" Piccolo trailed.

"I'm putting all my trust in you with this one Piccolo. You've earned it!"

Piccolo nodded. "Thank you."

"I know you all will show Piccolo the same respect and dedication you've shown me!" Goku smiled. "He's the one in charge now."

"Yes!" Goten and Trunks said.

"No problem there!" Michelle winked.

"GOKU! NO!" Chi-Chi shouted and ran out to the Lookout's atrium, followed by her somewhat aching father, who was rubbing his face. She tearfully hugged him. "But Goku how can you say goodbye, now that Gohan has left me too!"

That pushed Serena over the edge to tears. She was comforted by the other Scouts, who all stood near her. Luna hopped onto her shoulder and purred in her face.

"Chi-Chi, you'll be alright!" Goku assured. "You still have Goten to look after you."

"And what if Mordred takes him away from me like Gohan…"

"That can't happen once he masters fusion!" Goku assured again. "I'll tell Gohan how much you really miss him when I see him there."

"You won't. I just know Gohan is still alive!" Videl said with hard eyes.

"…WE DO TOO!" Mina and Lita bared their fangs at her.

Goku laughed.

"Goku, no more goodbyes!" Baba huffed. "Your time's up!"

"But…" Goten trembled.

"Awww, I know, he wants one more hug!" Chi-Chi smiled.

"Of course!" Goku responded as Goten ran into his father's arms. "Goten…you're gonna take care of mom for me?"

Goten tearfully nodded.

No Sailor Scout was with dry eyes then.

"Goku…you can't put it off any longer!" Baba huffed again.

"Gotcha!" Goku complied and put Goten on the ground. "I'm proud of you son." He whispered.

Rini immediately ran up to Goten and put an arm around his shoulder in tears. "Goodbye…Goku…thank you!" She trailed.

"Bye!" Goku said to her as he lifted off the ground. "So long everybody!" He waved as he went up into the sky.

All of them said parting words and waved at him.

"Good luck fighting Mordred and Co! I'll see you all sooner or later!" He said his final parting words and wisped into thin air.

"Hah! Where you're going, I hope it's a bit later than sooner!" Krillin smiled as he held his toddler daughter.

Trista smiled warmly at him and then looked up to the sky.

A final image of a smiling Goku appeared and then disappeared.

* * *

"Well…where the hell are you?" Mordred asked calmly, but with a hint of anger as he relaxed in a hot tub in the master bathroom of the Lair he was in. The Sprite Sisters were still pumping out Numba in the labs at the bottom.

"Forgive me, master." A female voice sounded out from the hologram communicator they were using. "I and our first detachment will be there in eighteen hours. We're a small band, sixteen hundred, but you have me." She smiled. "Our heavy equipment will take longer. But I think we should suffice, if you have the Numba up to speed."

"Yes. We will. Just hurry up."

"Of course, Master." She obliged. "But may I ask you? Not too long ago, I sensed an enormously powerful energy coming from the Earth…and it wasn't you. In fact, you were fighting with it. Care to let me know what that's about? It would be useful to know what my company and I will be facing once we arrive."

Mordred snorted. "Very well…"

* * *

"Goku I'm surprised at you, you're not going to cut in line are you?" Baba asked as she and Goku landed on the roof of King Yemma's station.

"I sure am! But don't tell!" Goku waved.

"You crack me up! I'll see you later!" Baba said in parting.

"Thanks for the great day; it was definitely one to remember!" Gok waved goodbye. Goku then used instant transmission to appear before King Yemma, the judger of the dead.

"Oh, it's you Goku!" He greeted. "What brings you here today?"

"I have a favor to ask, could you see if my son Gohan came through here?"

"Do you know what you're asking of me?" The Ogre asked in a huff.

"Yes, but it's very important. You'll get a much bigger workload if this Mordred guy we've been fighting hatches his plans! My son Gohan can help prevent that but I don't even know if he's here, do you mind seeing if he's checked in yet?"

"Well let's see…" King Yemma went through a pile of books. "I don't see a Gohan here…"

"WOOHOO!" Goku flipped in the air. "He's not dead! Awesome! Thanks King Yemma!" Goku said in parting. He went outside and leapt through the clouds surrounding Snake Way. "Gohan is still alive, this is great! Wait a minute…then how come I haven't been able to sense his energy anywhere?" Goku rubbed his chin as he flew upside down. Let's see…" He concentrated to find a source. "Whoa! That's Gohan alright! But it feels like he's up here and not on Earth! Strange…Supreme Kai must be behind this, no doubt!" _Instant Transmission, you gotta love it!_ Goku thought as he put two fingers on his head and vanished.

* * *

"HAAA!" Gohan shouted.

The Supreme Kai, Kibito, and Queen Serenity smiled as they saw him get more and more proficient with the Z Sword at a very rapid pace. Gohan continued to shout and swing the blade until they heard a cry.

"GAH!" Goku yelped as he saw pieces of his hair cut off. He fell to the ground.

The Supreme Kai and Kibito gasped in shock when they saw him. Queen Serenity looked on curiously.

"Dad! What are…you doing?" Gohan babbled in disbelief.

"Nothing…just…trying to keep my head…" He trailed as he looked up at his son. "Hey, look at those fancy new clothes, wow!"

"Supreme Kai gave me these, cool huh?" Gohan remarked about his outfit.

"He's here?" Goku asked. "Oh, sure enough! Hello there Supreme Kai!"

"Greetings, Goku!" The Purple Deity waved.

"Oh, there's Kibito too, hi there!"

"It defies all logic…how did he get here? It's impossible!" Kibito asked in disbelief.

"You really need to think before you talk sometimes." Queen Serenity smirked.

"Oh..." Goku noticed her with curious eyes. "That's someone new!"

"That's Queen Serenity, dad." Gohan informed him.

"Queen Serenity…" Goku said in curiosity. "OH!" He realized. "You're Serena's mother, right?"

"That would be me." She smiled. "It's nice to finally meet the legendary Goku."

"Why are you here? Twenty-four hours aren't up yet, what's going on down there?" Gohan asked.

"Well son, nothing good." Goku said as he and Gohan sat on a rock. "I managed to hold Mordred off for a while, but he's probably making a new army as we speak, and he's got very powerful mercenaries from Veneficus on the way."

"The Astravul!" The Supreme Kai frowned. "Antares wasn't alone! Mordred must have recruited them by showing them his power! How could I have miscalculated so much!"

"Don't beat yourself up sir." Queen Serenity interrupted. "Not even you can see everything."

"I've taught the Fusion Technique to Goten and Trunks, and the Sailor Scouts, but it's still going to be a very difficult battle!" Goku explained.

Queen Serenity suddenly widened her eyes. "Oh my…I can't believe I left this out! I knew of your plan Goku, and I meant to relay it to the Supreme Kai!"

"It's not like you to forget things, Serenity." The Supreme Kai stated in response.

"Forgive me, sir. With all the brouhaha of Gohan freeing the Z Sword and Goku's fight with Mordred, it must have slipped my mind!"

"Huh…what plan, ma'm?" Gohan asked in curiosity.

"Goku, I was watching over you when you formulated your plan, and I'm sorry to say, it won't work." Queen Serenity stated as she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"WHAT?" Goku shouted in disbelief that his work would be for nothing.

"Goten and Trunks, even in their fused form, simply won't be able to generate enough power for a sustained enough period of time to kill Mordred, their fusion will dissolve by then. He is a very cunning fighter with incredible fitness. He will find a way to hold them off. Yes, it was a very good idea to utilize the Fusion Technique, it will come in very handy along the way, but Metamorese Fusion will not be enough for final victory. Gohan's a different story, but as for those two boys…it won't work."

"Yes, I agree." The Supreme Kai frowned. "A good idea Goku…but not enough I'm afraid. It will do great damage to Mordred's army, so it's not a waste, but as for the man himself, Gohan is our best hope."

"Great…now what?" Goku moped.

"But you would agree with me sir, that we can't put all our eggs in one basket, no matter how powerful Gohan turns out to be. We need other options just in case." Queen Serenity continued.

"Yes, I follow you." The Supreme Kai answered. "I suppose this is what you forgot to mention upon my return."

"Yes sir."

Goku and Gohan looked curiously at the two while Kibito was sweating nervously.

"Well…what do you have in mind, Serenity?"

"We both know that it was my cousin Robert the Duke of Tranquility that removed the threat of Bashgal's Cult the first time around. I think it would only be natural that his daughter be instrumental in doing so the second time."

"But…"

"No worries, sir. I've already made the arrangements on that end. Two recently deceased friends will prove more than helpful, even in death."

"…Huh?" Goku and Gohan both noised, completely lost.

* * *

Vegeta growled as he approached King Yemma's quarters. The squealing voices of the clouds in front and behind of him were annoying…compounded by another creature.

"Would you stop growling?" Rei barked. "I don't exactly like being stuck next to you on line either!"

"Woman…" Vegeta scoffed. "What a waste!" He spat, noting that he had sacrificed himself for nothing. He knew that Mordred was still alive.

"…Hey uh…are you noticing something?" Rei asked Vegeta after a couple of minutes of awkward silence.

"What?" Vegeta asked rudely.

Rei sneered, but managed to talk. "How come everyone else here is just a wisp of a cloud, but we still have our bodies?"

This was a good question. Vegeta looked around to see he and Rei still had their bodies, albeit with halos over their heads, and the rest of the line were just smoky wisps. He did indeed still have his body, even though that Pluto woman told him he wouldn't. Finally, the two were granted entrance to stand before King Yemma.

"Oh!" King Yemma erupted when he looked at them. "Welcome Vegeta, and Sailor Mars. You two have probably noticed by now that you both still have your bodies."

"Yeah. What do you want?" Vegeta huffed.

"Can't you show a little more respect?" Rei sneered. "Why is that so, sir?" She looked up at the imposing Ogre.

"Well, I've received a request from above. Would the two of you care to venture around the world of the dead and find a sorcerer named Mark Hecate? No one knows where he really is, but finding him is very crucial."

"Why the hell would I want to find such a person?" Vegeta scoffed.

"If you want to save the world, you will!" King Yemma countered. "I'll give you the full details of the mission should you accept. But, if you are successful, I'll let you both return to Earth to help in the fight against Mordred."

"Huh?" Vegeta's interest was suddenly piqued. "HAAAAAAHHH!" He shouted, startling everyone in the room as his hair turned gold and eyes turned blue-green. His aura became robust as electricity sparked within it. The power he emitted caused huge gusts of wind in the room.

Rei widened her eyes and staggered due to the high wind. She grunted as she tried to shield her eyes.

"Count me in!" Vegeta finally stated, smirking at King Yemma as his aura and electricity raged and resounded around him and the sound boomed throughout the room. "I can't wait to get another crack at him!" He said to himself through clenched teeth.

"I guess…I'm in." Rei seconded. "What better thing to do is there?"

"Excellent." King Yemma responded. "Here you are, Sailor Mars, the details of the mission."

Rei widened her eyes in curiosity as one of King Yemma's assitants gave her a few pieces of paper. Vegeta stood with his arms crossed and his back turned, his flaming aura still raging from the Super Saiyan Two form.

"Oh and Sailor Mars."

Rei looked up at the Ogre.

"This was also left for you, take it!" He threw something at her.

Rei widened her eyes and caught what looked to be a Henshin Wand. It was a red stick with a crescent moon on top. In front of the moon was a circle with a star and the symbol of Mars in the center of it and wings on either side. Instinctively, Rei took out her Sailor Crystal and placed it into the wand, it disappeared into it in a flash of red, and she knew exactly what to say afterward as she felt the new power flooding into her.

"MARS ETERNAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

Feathers began to flutter out of the Henshin Wand and then it turned into a red, glowing sphere. Ribbons of fire flowed out and surrounded Rei, finally forming wings, which flapped. In a flash of flame and a burst of feathers from the wings, she appeared in a new outfit. Her red heels had been replaced by long white boots with red highlights on the top. Her gloves were now longer, above her elbow, and her sleeves had become red puffs. The brooch on her bow was now a red star, and the bow behind her skirt now added two long ribbons that went to her knees.

Vegeta's eyes widened slightly. For some reason, he had been able to sense ethereal energy after he died, and he noticed that Sailor Mars' power had increased exponentially with the new transformation.

Rei widened her eyes as she moved about, inspecting her new outfit. "Unreal…this is my Eternal form…I feel great!"

"Are the two of you ready?" King Yemma asked. "You'll need to go down to Hell first, be on your guard."

"We're ready!" Sailor Mars stated, with Vegeta only nodding.

King Yemma gestured, and a hole opened beneath the two of them. They calmly descended into Hell, getting ready to go over the details of their new and unexpected mission.

* * *

**My story turned out so far to be heavily based on the Majin Buu Saga…but without Buu. Indeed, this is a fair criticism. The plot is going to get more original from this point onward. Stay tuned, and drop a review.**


	19. The Next Quest

"I swear if I hear 'FUU…SION…HA!' one more time I think I'll lose my mind." Artemis squinted at the constant practicing among Goten and Trunks, and now all the Sailor Scouts besides Saturn, Chibi Moon, and Pluto.

"Come now, Artemis, it's the only way to win!" Luna huffed. "I'm just thankful that Goku gave us all an option instead of meeting Mordred head on to get our butts kicked again!"

"Yeah, I just wish I could give it a try! But I don't think there's such a thing as cat fusion!" Diana squeaked atop Rini's head.

Rini, who stood beside Trista and Hotaru looked on from the stoop as the Scouts were getting familiar with the moves of the Fusion Dance via Amara and Michelle's instruction. Piccolo was still instructing Goten and Trunks privately.

"FUU…SION…WOAW!" Serena screeched as she once again tripped when she had to pivot her leg. "Ohh…" She moped. "This fusion thing is not fun!"

"Oh Serena…" Rini trailed in embarrassment.

"Serena…I think we should try it again." Ami stated as calmly as she could.

"Get up!" Amara ordered. "We don't have time for moping!"

"Hey…aren't I supposed to be the leader?" Serena mumbled as she got to her feet.

"No…Goku put me in charge!" Piccolo growled. "Now get back to work!"

Serena pouted and moaned as she went back to try the moves out again.

"I can't believe that this will be our Queen of the Future." Piccolo mumbled to Amara and Michelle as he watched all of the Sailor Scouts strike the fusion poses.

"Well, it's true. She will be the Queen of the Silver Millennium, if we can get through this of course." Michelle replied.

"You know, I liked Goku a whole lot better than you!" Serena frowned to Piccolo. "At least he wasn't rude!"

Piccolo smirked.

"I can't believe we'll never see him again…" Serena trailed. "I don't know why but…I feel so lost without him…"

The mood at the Lookout suddenly shifted to a somber tone. Goku's absence was sorely felt by everyone.

"It just seems so dismal without him…" Krillin trailed.

"Goku actually managed to fight Mordred toe-to-toe." Ami said. "He was so inspiring…"

"I miss my dad…" Goten continued the mood.

Piccolo closed his eyes in remembrance.

"Goku…you gave us all hope…and with you gone it's like there's none…" Serena continued.

"The loss of a friend is always hard, especially such a light in the darkness as Goku was. The road ahead can seem so daunting and treacherous without such a hero as him."

Everyone was astonished as they heard a serene and powerful voice seemingly out of thin air. Their eyes widened even further and their jaws dropped as the form of a woman with a white gown and silver hair in pigtails that ran to her knees appeared in the sky above the Lookout.

"But even so, there's always a way ahead, and to be true heroes and protectors you must persist in the face of all hardships."

"Queen Serenity!" The cats and all of the Sailor Scouts except Rini and Serena shouted, bowing down as she touched the ground.

Piccolo's mouth was wide as he sensed the great ethereal power within her. There was a shining glow about her body and a halo over her head.

"M…mother…?" Serena asked, still not quite believing what she was seeing.

"Oh my…" Luna trailed in shock.

"Your Majesty…" Artemis followed.

She smiled warmly. "Luna, Artemis, you've done well."

Rini looked on in wide-eyed curiosity, and then shyness when she saw the powerful figure smile at her.

"My granddaughter…I'm so glad." She smiled serenely at Rini.

"Grandma…!" Rini spontaneously ran to her and delivered a hug, which brightened Queen Serenity even further.

"W…why are you here…?" Serena finally managed to ask.

"I came here to deliver some news to you all, and I cannot stay long."

Everyone was on edge with curiosity.

"I'll come back to you in a moment, dear." She said to her daughter. "I came to speak to you, Hotaru."

"Who…me?" Hotaru asked in rare surprise.

"Yes." Queen Serenity smiled and strode over to her. "Goku's plan was for Goten and Trunks to utilize the Fusion Technique to defeat Mordred. Unfortunately, that plan won't work. You two won't stay fused long enough to finish him off." She said to them.

"UHH…WHAT?" Goten and Trunks' jaws dropped as they looked at each other, and then back at Queen Serenity.

"No…say it isn't true…!" Yamcha gasped.

"I'm afraid so." Queen Serenity shook her head. "You're certainly not wasting your time with fusion though. You all need as much power as possible right now, so keep on practicing!" She made sure to make clear. "But a separate plan will be necessary to defeat him, and that's where you come in, Hotaru."

"W…what do you mean?"

"Hotaru, Soldier of Destruction, Princess of Saturn, and Duchess of Tranquility. You and everyone else here certainly knows the story the Supreme Kai told you. It was your father, my cousin that saved the world from Bashgal and his Cult. Hotaru, you once said sometime ago that you were the one person alive that could save the world from destruction, you still are."

Hotaru widened her eyes, along with everyone else as the Queen looked directly at her. Suddenly, the hilt of a sword appeared hovering above Queen Serenity's right hand. It had a helix-patterned leather handle and a dark purple pommel with a symbol of the mythical Gryphon inscribed in the center of the circle. The crossguard was the same color, and had a Gryphon head raised and patterned into the metal on either side, its eyes and beak in a menacing expression. Hotaru's eyes widened even further when Queen Serenity dropped the hilt at her feet.

"This is the hilt of your father's sword." She explained. "The Tyrant's Bane- the blade that pierced Bashgal's veil of transparency."

Hotaru's purple eyes widened even further as she picked up the deep purple hilt, placing her left hand below her right. Suddenly, images flooded into her mind, as if in a flashback. One involved her as a five-year-old Silver Millennium princess, laughing up at her father, his deep red hair and clear blue eyes easily visible and a velvet cavalier hat with a white feather on his head. The golden crescent moon mark of the Moon's royal family was etched on his forehead, indicating his closeness to the throne of the Silver Millennium. Another revealed her talking with her father in a courtyard at Queen Serenity's palace as a young teenager. He was dressed in his usual velvet attire and hat. She realized that these were memories that were returning to her, memories that the Supreme Kai up to this point had made sure she'd never see.

"Hotaru." Queen Serenity smiled, knowing full well that some long lost memories were returning to her. "You must find the seven pieces of this sword and reassemble them. You are your father's heir, and you must take his place to stand against Bashgal's Cult. To defeat it, you must utilize the powers you inherited, just as you did against Mordred…all those years ago. Reassembling that blade will allow you to do so. You are the only one capable of wielding it."

Serena's eyes widened at the mention of that story, knowing her central place in it.

"You have to ascend past your limits, and then you will truly be the Warrior of Destruction- but it will be Mordred's destruction you're bringing, not your own!" Queen Serenity smiled confidently at her.

Hotaru was still too shocked to speak. Piccolo filled the void of silence.

"But Queen Serenity."

She turned toward the Namek.

"Your Majesty, the Supreme Kai told us that Hotaru had been cursed due to her mother's consort's jealousy over her father and mother's illegitimate liaison that produced her."

Queen Serenity sighed. "Yes." She continued. "You're correct, Piccolo. And if that curse remains she won't be able to summon the necessary power to defeat Mordred without destroying herself. However, I have made arrangements to finally have that barbaric curse removed. Hotaru will no longer have to suffer for the anger of a jealous man…I hope. Hotaru…you will do this, won't you?"

Her eyes hardened. "You have my word. I will destroy Mordred, the man that betrayed my father."

Queen Serenity smiled. "Hotaru, you look like your mother, but in your mannerisms, you act like your father."

Hotaru smiled.

"Your Majesty…where are these pieces?"

"Unfortunately, Pluto, I don't know. I only know where the first one lies, and it's in a place that is familiar to you all- Elysion."

"ELYSION?" All of the Inners shouted in surprise.

"Of course!" Dende smiled. "The place that guards the Earth's dreams!"

"You are a good guardian, Dende." Queen Serenity smiled. "Hotaru, choose a party to accompany you, but make it a small one. Mordred is still out there and most of you will have to stay behind to hold him and his army off!"

Everyone nodded.

"Well now…I must now return to the Supreme Kai. I've already overstayed my time here on Earth." She began to walk back toward where the others congregated. "Serenity, come with me." She said to her daughter.

"Huh?" Everyone noised at once.

"With all due respect Your Majesty, we may need her power!" Amara objected.

"I'm certain you will, Uranus." Queen Serenity agreed. "But you may as well have her much stronger than she is now! I have specialized training for you Serenity, to make you stronger! Now, come back with me to the Sacred World of the Kais!"

Serena smiled. "I finally get to spend time with you, mother!" She then looked at Darien and rushed over to give him a hug and kiss.

"I'll protect this world. You go with your mother and get stronger." He whispered with a smile.

"You better stay alive." Serena whispered back, tears coming out of her eyes. "Don't be a foolish brave guy and fight Mordred head on. Leave that to Hotaru." She rubbed her face in his chest.

"I won't." He assured. "Serena, I don't know when exactly I'll see you again so, please take this."

Serena widened her eyes when Darien placed a heart-shaped ring on her left ring finger.

"All these fights with Mordred made me realize what's most important to me in life…" He continued. "I'm sorry I forgot to give it to you earlier."

"It's easy to forget…given what we've seen this day…" Serena trailed with happy tears in her eyes.

The Sailor Scouts all smiled in happiness as the two exchanged words of love. Even Piccolo had something of a smile on his face.

"Darien, thank you for being so kind to my daughter." Queen Serenity smiled, which he nodded at. Her eyes hardened. "Serenity, it's time to go. I've already spent more time here than I should, even if I was sent by the Supreme Kai himself."

Serena nodded and kissed Darien one last time before running to her mother.

"Uhhh…grandma…I'll see you again right?" Rini asked with saddened eyes.

"Of course you will, dear." She smiled warmly and hugged her one last time.

After Serena said goodbye to everyone, she and her mother lifted into the sky.

"You can do it, Hotaru!" Queen Serenity smiled. "Just believe!"

Hotaru smiled confidently and nodded, still feeling out the hilt of the Tyrant's Bane.

"I love you all!" Serena shouted. "Good luck!"

And with that, mother and daughter vanished into thin air, leaving a pale yellow afterglow.

"Well…this changes things…" Mina pondered.

"All right, the plans have changed!" Amara shouted, getting everyone to attention. "We need to figure out who's going to stay, and who's going to go with Hotaru."

Hotaru stood to attention, placing the two handed hilt on her belt. A few chuckles sounded out, as the hilt was rather big for Hotaru's hands. One could only guess just how big the sword would be in comparison to her body.

"I will go with Hotaru." Trista declared, walking toward her and putting her left hand on her adopted daughter's right shoulder. "You'll be travelling across vast distances of space, according to what the Supreme Kai said about the blade's fragmenting. You'll need to go through the Space-Time Door to traverse such vast distances in a convenient time period, and that's where I come in."

Hotaru smiled and nodded. Trunks and Goten looked at each other and smiled with a nod.

"WE'RE GOING TOO!" They shouted loudly, startling everyone.

"Far off adventures…it sounds so cool!" Trunks said with joyful eyes.

"And think of all the cool stories we'll get to tell!" Goten continued.

"That isn't a good idea." Michelle objected. "We might need to the two of you here to hold off Mordred."

Everyone nodded their heads.

"No, actually, it is a good idea." Hotaru countered. "I don't know what danger I might encounter on this quest, and having Trunks and Goten around will help assure me of completing my mission. I might need their help. We need the strongest possible chance of pulling this off."

"YEAH!" They both agreed. "We're still gonna fuse after all! We can help Hotaru with that power!"

"TRUNKS NO YOU'RE NOT!" Bulma shouted, bearing fangs.

"YOU'RE STAYING RIGHT HERE GOTEN!" Chi-Chi followed.

"Aww…but mom!" They both moped.

"We can help!" Trunks pouted.

"We can help save the world!" Goten continued.

"Uhh…guys…" Krillin trailed in fear at the angered mothers. "Didn't you hear Queen Serenity? This has to be done! GAH!" He backtracked at their angry glances.

"They're coming." Hotaru smiled, silencing any objections.

"Heh." Piccolo smirked. "Well Trista, it looks like you'll need help supervising this bunch of riffraff." He teased, which caused to two young half-Saiyans to pout. "I'm going as well, and we'll continue our fusion training along the way."

"All right." Amara agreed. "We'll take over from here, and continue our own fusion training. Once it's done, we should take turns in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber again, to get as strong as possible."

"Agreed. Good luck you guys." Michelle said.

"WAIT!" Rini bolted toward the group of five as they were about to leave. "I'm coming with you too!"

"No Rini!" Lita countered in concern.

"We need to protect you from harm! Who knows what's out there!" Amara agreed.

"Well, Mordred is here! You call that safe?" Rini pouted. "And besides, I came here to be a true Sailor Scout, I came to be strong, and I want to help my best friend in the world, Hotaru!"

"Oh Rini…" Hotaru smiled warmly. "You're so sweet."

"Piccolo and I will watch Small Lady." Trista assured the crowd, with the Namek nodding in agreement. "We will make sure no harm comes to her."

"It's settled then!" Rini said with as much authority as her child's voice could muster as she walked to the crowd.

"We'll continue to train, just hurry back!" Michelle smiled.

"Good luck!" Amara smirked.

Trista nodded and activated her Garnet Rod, making the group of six float upward. In a few seconds, they disappeared into a grey void.

"I feel like we're losing people by the minute…" Mina trailed.

"We have to be strong for them all!" Lita smiled. "We'll all be back together soon enough, and far stronger than before!"

"Let's get to work." Michelle smiled.

* * *

"So, we need to find Mark Hecate because he was the one that cursed Sailor Saturn as the Supreme Kai described." Rei went over again as she and Vegeta strolled through Hell.

Vegeta laughed. "Sounds like he was just a puny weakling writhing in jealousy! I bet he's a short, pencil-necked little weasel. Her mother needed to find a _real man_!" His laugh grew.

"Need I remind you that we're supposed to be negotiating with this guy to remove the curse, and not making fun of him or beating him to a pulp?" Rei barked.

Vegeta laughed, only making Rei angrier as they strode around a bloody pond with blood flowing out of some twisted water fountain.

"I just wonder where to start…" Rei trailed after being grossed out by the pond. "No one even knows where this guy is. Maybe he isn't even here!"

"Sending the Prince of all Saiyans on a wild goose chase!" Vegeta spat as he mumbled to himself. "How could that little girl do what several Super Saiyans could not?"

"Get over yourself would you?" Rei snapped. "You're not the strongest guy in the universe ok?"

Vegeta grunted and sneered. "Woman…!"

"If you want revenge on Mordred, then you'll have to find Hecate and get this curse on Hotaru removed, that's your job! It isn't like you're performing some menial task!"

Vegeta was silent as the two continued to walk forward, Rei paying close attention to her surroundings and Vegeta not caring at all.

"HA, so I knew you'd wind up here!" A voice sounded out, piquing Vegeta's ears.

The two turned to see a very large and well built man with a moustache and bald head get up from under a tree, sneering. Vegeta immediately began to laugh in amusement.

"Traitors always wind up in hell!" He continued. "So, who's your new bitch, Vegeta?"

Rei immediately growled in anger.

"What do you want Nappa?" Vegeta asked without even giving his former comrade a look.

"I just want a revenge beating, that's all!" Nappa shouted and began to fly straight toward Vegeta.

Sailor Mars marked him with her violet eyes and frowned. She placed her hands upward toward her head, forming a flame with a snakehead.

"Mars Snake Fire!" She shouted and pushed her hands forward, sending a long flaming snake toward Nappa.

"WHA…AAHHH!" Nappa shouted as he saw the fire snake rushing at him, bearing its fangs. "WOAHHHH!" He screamed as he felt the searing snake hit him and burst into flames, at the same time knocking him to the floor.

Vegeta widened his eyes in mild surprise at the attack, and then howled in laughter as he saw Nappa rolling around on the ground, writhing in flaming pain.

"And that's for calling me a bitch!" Mars huffed and kicked Nappa in the ribs, causing him to shout out in further pain, which only made Vegeta laugh harder.

"OW!" Nappa writhed. "What do you want, lady?" Nappa asked when the flames finally stopped burning.

Rei made a motion of cleaning her hands, demonstrating her victory. _This Eternal Power…it's great! I'm so much stronger than before!_ Rei thought with a smile. "Do you know the location of a sorcerer named Mark Hecate?" Rei demanded to the still downed and in pain Nappa.

"How should I know!" Nappa spat. The embarrassment in his voice was easily detectable to Vegeta, who continued to smirk and laugh.

"Well, aren't you good for anything?" Rei sneered and planted her boot on his spine.

"Why don't you go find Goz and Mez?" Nappa howled as he felt Rei's boot pushing into the small of his back. "Maybe they know where your guy is!"

"Who are these guys and where do we find them?" Rei demanded.

"They're the two Ogres King Yemma put in charge of this horrible place!" Nappa spat, still in severe embarrassment at the position of sheer submissiveness that this woman had put him in. "They usually stand and guard King Yemma's fruit tree. Just keep following this road north and you'll get there!" He said in a pleading voice.

"Fine." Rei said with a hmph and began to walk in that direction.

"I think you need to start training harder Nappa!" Vegeta laughed as he walked off to follow Rei. "Better luck in not getting beaten by a woman next time!"

Nappa growled in anger, but was in far too much pain to get up.

"Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I'm not strong!" Rei seethed as they left Nappa behind. "In fact I'm vastly stronger than I was before!"

Vegeta knew this was true, he had sensed it himself, but would never admit it.

"Now, how long until we get to this tree?" Rei asked.

"Hah! Why are we walking instead of flying?" Vegeta scoffed.

"Well uhhh…it's just that I never learned how…" Rei trailed. "Do you…wanna teach me…?" She asked nervously.

A vein popped out of Vegeta's head as he grumbled in frustration. Rei began to widen her eyes and backtrack in nervousness.

"Fine…" He grumbled, surprising her. "We'll need to get around quickly, and I can't have you slowing me down!"

"You didn't even want to do this and now you're saying I'm slowing you down?" Rei's face erupted to a volcanic red.

Vegeta laughed at her anger. "Well let's get started then, shall we?"

* * *

Serena widened her eyes as she saw the lush green expanses of the Sacred World of the Kais.

"This is…this is where you live?" Serena asked in astonishment, marveling at the beautiful scenery.

"Yes." Queen Serenity smiled. "This is the Sacred World of the Kais, where the Supreme Kai resides. He invited me to live here after I died."

Serena widened her eyes in curiosity when a voice interrupted her.

"Welcome, Princess Serenity."

"Supreme Kai!" She greeted upon seeing the smiling deity. "Kibito!"

"There are too many mortals on the World of the Kais, it's not right!" Kibito grunted.

Serena laughed.

"I hope you've come to understand why I sent you away the last time we saw each other." The Supreme Kai said.

Serena nodded, turning toward two voices in the distance; her smile grew as she saw Goku throwing rocks at…Gohan! He was splitting the small rocks in two with a sword.

"Goku! Gohan!" She shouted in happiness.

Both Saiyans curiously looked back to see a waving Serena.

"Hey!" Goku smiled and flew over, followed by Gohan. "Why are you here Serena?"

"My mother wanted me to come back here for training!" She answered. "Gohan…you're alive!"

"Yeah, thanks to the Supreme Kai and Kibito." He smiled. "It's nice to see you again Serena."

"Gohan is here to do his own training." Queen Serenity explained to her daughter. "That is the Z Sword, which Gohan freed from its long rest. He is mastering it and will return to Earth to confront Mordred."

"So you had another plan then!" Serena smiled.

"This was the Supreme Kai's plan." She corrected. "We need to diversify all of our options."

"And we should get back to work." The Supreme Kai said. "Hotaru may be on her way to restore the Tyrant's Bane, but we don't know how long it will take her, or if she'll even be successful. In the meantime, Gohan needs to get fully prepared, and the Princess will have to become what she was born to be."

"Yes sir." Queen Serenity agreed.

"So…what am I supposed to do?" Serena asked with wide eyes, curious of the Supreme Kai's statement.

"You will immerse yourself in the training to become your proper role of Queen of the Silver Millennium." Queen Serenity explained. "That means you'll strengthen your body, mind, and spirit, and assume the powers and responsibilities to be my replacement. I couldn't properly train you on the Moon due to the war, but now is finally the time, and this is finally the place."

"Uhh…that sounds hard…" Serena said with nervous eyes.

"Aww, don't worry Serena." Goku said to her with a smile. "I'll be around if you need my help. That's what I'm doing here- helping Gohan, and I'll be happy to lend you a hand if you need me."

"Thank you Goku." She smiled.

"Key to your training of course, will be the Imperium Silver Crystal." Queen Serenity stated, and with a flick of her hand, the crystal appeared out of Serena's transformation broach.

Serena widened her eyes, along with everyone else, as the crystal's silver light shined in all of their eyes. All gathered could feel its tremendous power, the Supreme Kai imparting the ability to sense magical energy into Gohan.

"AWAKEN!" Queen Serenity shouted as the crystal created a new transformation brooch that fell into Serena's hands. The crystal fell in the brooch to form the center of it, and could be removed at will.

The new brooch was a golden heart with angel wings and a crescent moon on the bottom. Serena instinctively knew what to do.

"Moon Eternal, Make Up!" She shouted.

Feathers fluttered around her and a golden light formed into a crescent moon on Serena's glowing head. She had angel wings on her back that fluttered as she raised her hands. Feathers surrounded them and created white gloves that went up past her elbows with red trimmings. Pink puffs formed as her sleeves. A final flutter of feathers created her yellow, red, and blue skirt, knee high white boots with red trimmings and a crescent moon and shortened wings on her back. The top of her outfit around her neck was dark blue with yellow stripes.

"Eternal Sailor Moon…" Kibito trailed.

"Eternal Sailor Moon?" Gohan asked, still surprised at Serena's massive increase in power.

"Wow!" Goku said in amazement. "Serena, you're a lot stronger than you were before!"

Serena gasped and inspected her new outfit. "I feel much stronger!" She gasped further as she saw her Kaleidomoon Scope transform into an ornate scepter colored in white, red, and gold.

"This is the Eternal Tiare, and I now have to teach you to use it and your new powers." Queen Serenity explained. "Don't be fooled, we're only at the beginning of your training, dear."

"Yes, it's time to get back to work." The Supreme Kai ordered.

"Of course." Queen Serenity nodded. "Serenity, come with me." She beckoned and took off into the sky.

Serena widened her eyes and used her recently learned ability to fly to follow her mother. They landed near a body of water, which was some distance away from the others, but they were all still clearly visible and within earshot.

Gohan returned to the sky, practicing with the Z Sword, and Goku went to gather small rocks to throw at Gohan and test his coordination.

Watching over it all was the Supreme Kai, assisted by Kibito. The two Kais looked on with expressions stating that they had every intention of guiding everyone to achieve the goal of destroying Mordred and preventing Bashgal's release.

* * *

"Are we all ready?" Trista asked as she and her five companions stood in a foggy void looking up at the ornately patterned Space-Time Door.

"We're ready!" Trunks and Goten both said at once.

Rini and Piccolo both nodded.

"Let's go." Hotaru said, looking straight ahead with a serious expression.

Trista raised the Garnet Rod. Electricity flowed out of the top. She turned around and a white light shined out of the Garnet Orb on top of the rod and flowed into the door's keyhole in the form of differently colored circles.

The door opened, revealing a brightly shining void beyond it.

"Cool, huh Trunks?" Goten smiled.

"Yeah, this is gonna be awesome!" The purple-haired half-Saiyan replied.

Trista narrowed her eyes and audibly slammed the bottom of the Garnet Rod to the floor, startling the two half-Saiyans.

"This is not a joke." She scolded the two boys. "Traveling through this door is always a serious venture. You can easily be lost forever traversing through this void, wandering aimlessly and ending up anywhere in time or space!"

"Mhm." Rini seconded, knowing the process well.

"Now, we better join hands and hold on tightly." Trista ordered. "Once inside, we need to focus on our destination- Elysion of the present day, and we'll make our way over there."

Everyone took that as a cue to join hands, with Trista and Piccolo on either end to watch over the young ones.

"Let's get going." Piccolo ordered.

All six jumped up into the light blue void, and the doors shut with an audible _thud_ as they made their way to begin the next quest.


	20. To Live the Dreams We Always Had

"So, this was once the Golden Kingdom where Prince Endymion resided." Piccolo stated more than asked Trista as they flew over the lush green scenery.

"Yes. This place was once the capital of the Earth, and it had intimate ties with the ancient Guardians of this planet, long before Kami." She answered. "Princess Serenity often visited this place during the old Silver Millennium, even though she was forbidden to do so. On one of those trips she met Prince Endymion and they fell in love. They began to meet in secret whenever they could. Even though the Kingdom fell due to the war and the unrest it created, it's nice to see this land still intact. It's sealed off from the rest of the world, and so we had to use the Space-Time Door to get here."

"According to the memories that have been returned to me, my father deduced their relationship and encouraged their love." Hotaru said as they all continued to fly.

"Yes, I think I remember a few things myself since you touched that hilt." Trista replied. "The Duke of Tranquility always thought that the no contact rule was foolish. He very much wanted to incorporate Earth fully into the common Silver Millennium market with the rest of the planets."

"That rule prevented my father from working toward that goal." Hotaru continued. "He thought that Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion's future together would undo that custom once and for all and would allow his ideal to become a reality. I actually remember a conversation he and Darien…Endymion had. It was during the opening stages of the war and he'd taken a liking to Earth's Prince."

*Flashback*

_Prince Endymion marveled at the two gorgeous women fawning over the Duke of Tranquility as they strolled through one of Queen Serenity's courtyards. He'd been appointed Captain-General a week or so prior, and the effort against Bashgal was still being planned. The Duke was in one of his trademark black velvet outfits, right up to his white plumed hat. He was flirting heavily with Marchioness Helen of the Sea of Fertility, widely considered to be the most beautiful woman on the Moon, and her friend, Countess Iseult of the Sea of Nectar, who was in every way beautiful in her own right. After a few more minutes of banter, the Duke waved goodbye to the two women and was the first to exit the conversation, moving along with Earth's Prince._

"_Unbelievable." Endymion smirked. "You literally have gorgeous women fawning over you all the time! How do you do it all? You excel in everything you do! I really could learn a lot from you!"_

"_Please." He dismissed such attitudes. "The last kind of person I like to be around is an ass-kisser. There are plenty of others better than I am. Everyone meets their better someday, that's a maxim of mine."_

"_Who could possibly be better than you?" The Prince asked in curiosity._

"_Mordred's a better polo player than I am, a far better polo player. He beats me when it comes to shooting pool too." He explained. "Parmenio brews some of the best beer around, much better than any I've ever made. And don't even attempt to play cards with him, at his age; he's got enough experience to rip you off of all your money, easily. The Queen is a lot more graceful than me, and she dances perfectly on the skating rink. When I put on a pair of ice skates and get on a rink, I'm worse than terrible. And those are just a few people and examples, and there's plenty of others."_

_Endymion smiled. "But when it comes to fighting, making money, and pulling the ladies, no one's better than you."_

"_Hah." The Duke chuckled as he slowly blinked. "I suppose so. Though…there's probably one better than me when it comes to fighting…" He said much more seriously._

_The air around the two took a somber turn, but Earth's Prince made sure to quickly change the subject._

"_But…do you ever think of a soul mate? You have beautiful women all the time, but no true love." The Prince inquired as the two stopped and sat at a table under one of the courtyard's large, majestic willow trees._

"_I don't believe in such things." The Duke replied._

"_How could you not believe?" Prince Endymion asked incredulously._

"_Because of the numbers. I believe in compatibility, sure, but not one special true love and no one else in the world." He answered. "With all the numbers of women out there, to assert the proposition that there's only one for you and no other is absurd. There's plenty you'd be compatible with and more than happy to love." He went on. "I was just never actively looking for one of those I guess."_

"_Hmmm." Endymion thought. "But wouldn't you desire to find a special someone, rather than play the field all the time?"_

_The Duke smiled. "I always thought that such a thing would happen when it did, and I'd enjoy myself along the way. In the meantime, I have multiple high quality lovers that I truly do enjoy being with, but for some reason or other…cannot seriously commit to." He answered. "I suppose my 'search' is still going on. The trick in everything about this is to know…which women are truly worthwhile of your affection, and which are merely…useful." He smirked._

"_True enough."_

"_I wonder though…what does a kid like you know about love anyway?" The Duke turned the inquiry around._

_Prince Endymion widened his eyes. "It's just that…"_

_Duke Robert of Tranquility raised his eyebrows as mirth filled his cerulean eyes. "Of course…the Princess. Now I see who you're talking about!"_

_The Prince backtracked in shock. "How…? How…?"_

"_Hah." The Duke chuckled. "I see the way you two react to one another. This conversation only made it concrete."_

"_It's forbidden though!" The Prince was frantic. "You won't tell Queen Serenity will you…?" He asked in fear._

"_I have no intention of doing that." The Duke said as he poured some wine for the two of them."_

"_Why not?" He asked, breathing a sigh of relief._

"_It…doesn't suit my purposes." He cryptically answered._

"_Your purposes?"_

"_Of course." The Duke smiled as he handed a cup of wine to the Prince of Earth. "You know my desire for a galactic common market. Yet for some odd reason, it's forbidden for people from the Moon and Earth to contact one another, so to do business on Earth I and others have to offshore our investments and operations to other places in the Silver Millennium. Such trade and entry barriers aren't exactly friendly for a dynamic economy." He explained. "If you and Princess Serenity work out, that would mean a union between the Earth and Moon's Royal Houses, which would mean an end to that ban, which would also mean an end to the barriers." He went on. "If I had to choose anyone for you to fall in love with, she'd be the one." He chuckled._

"_To Earth and the Moon, in peace." The Prince laughed and raised his glass._

"_To Earth and the Moon in peace." The Duke followed._

_Both men laughed as they clinked their wine glasses together._

"_I do know love, though, Endymion." The Duke declared as they drank some of the gourmet red liquid. "I'm a father, after all. My little Hotaru is so powerful at such a young age, it makes me immensely proud. Even though she was an…accident, the truth is I love my little girl more than anyone else in the world."_

"_I see." He smiled._

"_I will warn you, Endymion." The Duke turned serious. "The last thing my cousin the Queen is is stupid. She will find out about your relationship with the Princess eventually, and probably sooner rather than later, even with this new war on the horizon."_

"_Hm…" Endymion somberly responded._

"_But…when that time comes, I'll be on your side." The Duke assured._

"_Thank you." Endymion nodded._

"_Dad!" A female voice resounded through the courtyard, and both men watched as a young girl in a purple gown came toward them._

"_Hi there Hotaru." The Duke greeted. "How long were you spying on us?"_

_Saturn's Princess widened her eyes. "Did you see?"_

"_I didn't need to." The Duke challenged his offspring with a smirk._

"_I wasn't spying…I was learning." She smiled. "Anyway, Mordred asked me to find you. I think he wants to practice with you for your polo match tomorrow, and don't forget, you need to meet with the Queen before dinner."_

"_Right, I don't need you to remind me." He smirked and bent down to kiss her on the forehead. "I'll see you guys later."_

"_Breakfast tomorrow?" Hotaru asked as her father walked off._

"_Wouldn't miss it for anything." He answered with a wave, not turning back._

_She and Endymion smiled as he walked inside the palace._

"_Don't worry." Hotaru stated. "I won't tell anyone either." She winked at the Prince._

_Endymion backtracked, but then lightly laughed._

*End Flashback*

"That's where my memory runs out…" Hotaru said.

Trista smiled. "It's good that you're finally allowed to remember though. I dare say, if it weren't for your father's encouragement, maybe Serena and Darien's relationship would be different. Maybe Small Lady wouldn't be here. I can't tell of course."

Rini gasped. "I didn't know there was such a restriction. Mama never told me anything."

"Guess it all worked out then, thanks to the rebirth…" Trunks began. "Though that guy sounds like he was real manipulative."

"I guess so." Hotaru agreed. "My father was certainly driven, but he wouldn't use foul means to get what he wanted."

Rini looked around Elysion, the capital of her father's previous kingdom, wondering what could have happened if it hadn't been for Bashgal's war. "I wonder where Helios is?" She asked in anticipation. "You don't think anything's happened to him, do you guys?"

"No." Piccolo answered. "If Mordred wished to attack this place, he could have easily done so; given the fact that Nehelenia already used that strategy. Everything is fine here."

"Who's Helios…?" Goten asked, slightly bothered by the tone in Rini's voice.

The six companions continued to fly until they saw a shrine of marble. As they came closer they made out three figures, two female, one male, waving at them. All of them landed at the front of the shrine. A boy with a golden horn on his head and wearing white robes immediately bowed to Piccolo, surprising the Namek.

"Welcome, former Guardian of the Earth, to the ancient capital Kingdom of Elysion. I am its protector, Helios. I welcome you all. These are the Maenads, my assistants in watching over this land."

The two pretty priestesses waved and smiled at the companions.

"I assume you know what we're here for." Piccolo said.

"Of course." The white-haired boy smiled up at the tremendous Namek. "Normally, we'd be hard-pressed to give up such a treasure, but you are the Duke of Tranquility's rightful heir, Hotaru. I would be glad to give it to you."

"Where is it?" Hotaru asked in Sailor Saturn's normal, no-nonsense tone.

"Follow me, please." Helios beckoned and turned to walk inside, along with his assistants.

All six wandered into the shrine, taking note of the elegant architecture.

"My dear Rini." Helios smiled. "How have you been?"

Rini blushed and hid behind Hotaru. The purple-eyed girl looked at her curiously and then giggled.

"I've been ok…" She managed to squeak out.

"I know it's been difficult. I'm just thankful that this hasn't changed the fundamentally good person that you are. That would be the worst thing of all."

Rini's blush continued and got deeper.

"Small Lady will always be a bright light." Trista smiled at the pink-haired girl. "Thank you for being so kind to her."

Helios smiled and nodded at the Soldier of Time.

"What's the big deal here anyway?" Goten asked with his arms folded and a stiff lip. Jealousy panged him.

"Is it that hard to imagine?" Trunks asked sarcastically.

"Ah, here we are." Helios smiled.

The two Maenads silently smiled and opened a set of double doors. Behind them, a golden light shone through and met their eyes. Everyone in the adventurous party squinted except Hotaru as they all walked into the room.

"Go ahead Hotaru. It's all you." Helios smiled and stood to the side, along with his assitants.

Hotaru walked forward and up a tiny porch, past two pillars, and onto an open circular platform. She stared at a golden chest with an elaborate repeating rhombus pattern with leaves in the center of each tilted square. She opened it to reveal a dark purple shard that glinted in the light. It obviously attached to the right side of the hilt and stretched up into a slightly L-shaped pattern. Hotaru made sure not to touch the edges, instead, placing her fingers on the raised line that ran through the center of the sword.

Memories once again flooded back into her mind. This time she saw herself on the battlefield, fighting alongside her father against the Numba armies in the Outer Solar System. She'd used Silence Glaive Surprise and Death Reborn Revolution **(no, this attack is not Saturn's move to end everything if you think it is)** to take out swaths of the creatures. She watched as her father took out multiple swaths effortlessly, either utilizing his sword, or his physical or magical powers. He was dressed in full plate armor that was the same color as his sword. She could see the armies of the Silver Millennium on the march, overrunning enemy positions.

Hotaru fluttered her eyes as the images flooded into her, and then she put the shard away.

"We sincerely hope this treasure helps you, Princess Hotaru." Helios explained.

"It will. Thank you." She replied.

"Helios, do you know where the next piece is?" Piccolo asked.

"I can't be sure. Perhaps I could check to see if there are any accounts about our treasure. Please come to our library."

Helios led the group out of the treasure room and toward the library of the shrine.

* * *

"Here's the tree…but I don't see any ogres." Rei peered.

Vegeta merely tapped his foot in impatience.

"You know, for a place full of evil people, it sure doesn't have a lot of staff working here to make sure everything's running smoothly…" Rei continued. "Hey, are you even thinking about where these guys are?" Rei angrily asked Vegeta.

"Oh well, I guess we'll just have to find someone else to ask where they are then, won't we?"

Rei sighed at his sarcasm. "Come on, let's look for some people." She breathed out and utilized her newfound ability to fly, which Vegeta followed.

The two flew for a short distance and discovered a group of people sitting outside of a building. Rei immediately frowned. She and Vegeta landed in front of their faces, and three of the four people in grey and purple outfits immediately stood up to challenge her.

"So Sailor Mars, you finally wound up in hell!" Kunzite laughed.

"I'll be more than happy to pick on you and your little friend for all eternity!" Jadeite smirked.

Zoisite snickered and quickly followed both of them. Nephrite only distantly looked at Sailor Mars, making no attempt to get up from his seat.

"Back off." Sailor Mars warned. "You have no idea how powerful I am now."

"Let's find out." Zoisite challenged.

Sailor Mars shrugged her shoulders as Zoisite and Jadeite came toward her. She took off into the sky, avoiding their attacks, and countered with one of her own.

She put her fingers in the shape of a gun and shouted "Mars Fire Ignite!"

Jadeite and Zoisite widened their eyes as a familiar attack approached them- except Sailor Mars' flame was now much larger and faster, and they could not avoid it.

"AHHH!" They screamed as the flames consumed them, casting them back down to the ground.

Kunzite, meanwhile, charged toward Vegeta, but the Prince of All Saiyans easily saw him coming and slammed a left uppercut into the Dark Kingdom soldier's gut. He widened his eyes and groaned in painful disbelief.

"Hahahah." Vegeta laughed as he looked into Kunzite's shocked and painful eyes. He then raised his right hand and formed a yellow glow in his palm. His laughter grew when Kunzite's eyes widened even further.

Vegeta blasted Kunzite in the face with his energy, blasting him away until he crashed into a wall, followed by a yellow explosion.

As Zoisite and Jadeite writhed in flaming pain, and Kunzite was burned and out cold due to Vegeta's blast, Sailor Mars walked up to Nephrite, the only one of the four who hadn't attempted to attack them.

"What do you want?" Nephrite asked. "I have no interest in fighting."

"I'm sorry you wound up here Nephrite…" She trailed, remembering the last time she'd seen him. "Could you do me a favor? It's vitally important that we find Goz and Mez. We're on an extremely critical mission for the fate of the universe."

Nephrite sighed. "The people in this bar have started another periodic uprising of Hell. Talk to them, they probably know where they are."

"An uprising huh? Just our luck…" Sailor Mars replied. "Thank you Nephrite. When this is all over, I'll talk to King Yemma and try to get you out of here…"

"Do what you will." Nephrite continued his tone of complete apathy.

Sailor Mars drooped her eyes. "Come on Vegeta…" She beckoned and walked toward the bar's entrance.

Vegeta coldly glanced at Nephrite and followed her inside, finding that everyone in the place was looking at him and the Soldier of Flame. She and Vegeta both looked at the central figures and shouted their names at the same time.

"Queen Beryl!"

"Frieza!"

"Heheheh!" Frieza laughed. "Well Beryl, it looks like we have a couple of visitors."

"An old friend of yours?" She asked. "I have one as well."

"Well everyone, let's give them a welcome to Hell gift, shall we?" Freiza smirked.

"YEAH!" A chorus of voices shouted.

Vegeta and Rei narrowed their eyes to see four members of the Ginyu Force: Jeice, Burter, Recoome, and Guldo, as well as Kaorinite, and Emerald appear behind a smirking Frieza and Queen Beryl. The two heard a door slamming and saw King Cold and Wiseman appear behind them, standing in front of it and laughing.

Vegeta and Sailor Mars glanced at each other and gave a slight nod. Suddenly, Vegeta dematerialized and Mars took to the air.

"GET THEM!" Frieza ordered.

The Ginyu force chuckled and took off toward Sailor Mars, while Kaorinite and Emerald moved to find a good position to attack.

"MARS CELESTIAL FIRE SURROUND!" Sailor Mars shouted and gathered the burning flames, shooting out rings of fire.

"WOAH!" They all shouted, and then screamed in searing pain as the flames hit them, sending them crashing to the floor.

"What?" King Cold said in shock when Vegeta appeared in front of him. The Saiyan Prince smirked and kicked him in the stomach. "OHHHH!" King Cold's eyes glazed over and he slumped to the floor.

Emerald turned into her dragon form and launched a flurry of dark energy at Sailor Mars. Mars got out of the way, but widened her eyes when Kaorinite appeared right in front of her. She smirked and launched a blast at Mars, but the Soldier of Flame managed to avoid it.

Vegeta turned toward Wiseman, who lifted his crystal ball, gathering purple magical energy inside to launch an attack. Vegeta gritted his teeth in annoyance and cupped his hands horizontally.

"FINAL FLASH!" He shouted.

Wiseman screamed as he was hit by the yellow beam, sending him crashing into and through the bar's wall, finally coming to rest on the ground outside, unconscious.

Sailor Mars dodged Kaorinite and Emerald's attacks in the air, unleashing another Fire Ignite onto them. The two women screamed as they felt themselves being burned by the powerful flames.

"How can this be?" Queen Beryl shouted. "How did you get so strong you brat?"

_Unreal! This Eternal Makeup is even more powerful than I thought!_ Sailor Mars thought in joy as she touched down.

"Why you little…!" Frieza growled and rushed toward her, but he was met by Vegeta.

Vegeta threw a knee into Frieza's stomach, relishing the opportunity to pummel his childhood tormenter. Frieza coughed up purple blood as his eyes widened in pain.

"Mars Firebird Strike!" Sailor Mars shouted when Queen Beryl attempted to attack Vegeta.

Queen Beryl screamed as the flaming bird smacked her right in the face, sending her to the floor in flaming unconsciousness. In the meantime, Vegeta had grabbed Frieza's throat and threw him into the bar, still choking him.

"I can't believe I actually got into a bar fight…in Hell…" Sailor Mars sighed. She then came back to her senses when she saw Vegeta choking the short white guy. What alarmed her was that Vegeta wasn't wearing his usual cocky mask, but a completely cold and ruthless one. She winced when she saw Vegeta punch the guy in the face as hard as he could, and the cry of pain that followed. "Vegeta, cool it, the fight's over!" She called out as she ran toward him, to see the white guy in torment.

"Stay out of this! I've needed to settle the score with this piece of shit for a long time!" He said through clenched teeth as Frieza continued to choke and writhe in pain.

Rei's eyes displayed their shock, but she regained control. "Where are Goz and Mez?" She asked Frieza.

"I…don't…know…" Frieza choked.

"You're in no position to be fooling around with us!" Rei frowned.

"Ask…Cell…he was the one that started this…!" Frieza begged.

Rei's mind immediately went blank as childhood memories returned to her. She remembered how terrified she'd been of Cell during his reign of terror, when she was still but a nine-year-old child. She had nightmares about Cell killing her personally, along with the world. She may have been more happy than anyone after it was announced that the Cell Games were over, and that Mr. Satan was victorious- but even as a child she never bought that story.

"Of course. Pieces of shit like you flock together." Vegeta snarled.

"Uhh…I think it's 'birds of a feather flock together.'" Rei said. "Only Mina would mess a proverb up that badly."

"Where's Cell now?" Vegeta asked.

"He's…somewhere outside. It shouldn't be difficult for you to sense where he is."

Vegeta grunted and punched Frieza in the face one last time, knocking him out. He and Rei went back outside, past the carnage of unconscious bodies, and took to the sky. Only a few minutes later, they were met with an arrogant voice.

"So…what have we here?"

Rei gasped in fear at who she saw appear before her.

* * *

"Yes." Helios smiled, closing a book. "I think this would be your best chance." He got up and delivered a paper to Piccolo.

"The Cicones?" Trista asked as she looked at the paper in his hands.

"I've read some accounts that describe a treasure that looks quite like the one we've had here. I'm lucky to have come across this. Go to the planet Thracia, you know where it is. From there, go to Ismara, the Cicones' capital."

"I understand." Trista smiled. "We'll be on our way. Boys, let's go." She beckoned to Goten and Trunks.

The two half-Saiyans stood beside her and Piccolo, followed by Hotaru.

"Hotaru." Helios called to her. "All of our hopes are riding on you, please defeat Mordred."

Hotaru nodded.

"Helios…" Rini trailed, and then rushed forward to hug him. Elysion's priest laughed and returned the gesture. "We never get time to share our dreams!"

"Because our responsibilities are so great." Helios smiled. "Go now, Rini, I'm sure they need you. Soon enough, once Hotaru attains the power she needs, we'll all be able to live the dreams we always had. **(Bonus points to any reviewer who figures where this line comes from!)**

"I see the jealousy all over you." Trunks muttered to Goten with a smirk.

"Can it!" Goten immediately huffed back.

"Small Lady." Trista smiled. "We must go."

Piccolo nodded, backing her up.

Rini nodded and ran back to her friends. Trista activated the Garnet Rod, making them all float.

"Piccolo, Give Dende my regards!" Helios called as he and the Maenads waved.

"Will do." Piccolo answered.

With that, they all disappeared into a grey void.

* * *

"Hey Gohan!" Goku called from his seat atop a rock. "Let's put that thing to the test and see just how sharp it is!"

"Sure!" Gohan answered.

"Oh cool, a show!" Serena gushed. She and her mother were both taking a break from her training, and had come to the side of the others.

"Let's see now." Goku looked around, and then smiled down at the rock. "Yeah, why not?" He asked, and then lifted the thing, causing the Kais and the two Moon Queens to widen their eyes.

"Let's start out with this small one!" Goku said.

"Right dad! Ready when you are!" Gohan called, readying the sword.

"That's a small one…?" The Supreme Kai muttered in disbelief.

"I hope this doesn't over stress the blade!" Goku called.

"Nah, this is the Z Sword!" Gohan smiled.

"All right, batter up!" Goku responded and threw the rock. Gohan easily cut it in half and Kibito gasped when both humongous halves crashed to the ground.

The Supreme Kai laughed. "My, that was superb Gohan!"

"Yes, amazing, truly!" Kibito seconded.

"Good show!" Serena clapped in applause.

"I think you're ready for a big one son!" Goku laughed.

"Uhhh…what's a big one?" Serena asked, considering how big the rock that Gohan just sliced in two was.

"Just a minute." The Supreme Kai entered. "How about more density, and a little less mass?"

Everyone looked up at the sky in curiosity as the Supreme Kai constructed a block of metal in the air.

"Here Goku, catch!"

"Whoa! What's this?" Goku asked as he caught the metal block.

"That is the hardest known metal in the universe, it's called Kacheen."

Goku tapped at it. "Oh, Kacheen!"

"Yes, this will be a much better test." The Supreme Kai answered.

"You're not kidding!" Goku smiled. "Ready Gohan?"

"Ready!" Gohan answered. "Let her fly, dad!"

"All right, here it comes!" Goku shouted and threw the block of metal.

Gohan made a horizontal slice, but the metal continued to come at him, and in a second or so, the top half of the blade split off from the bottom half, clanging to the floor.

"GHHHH!" Gohan grunted.

"YYYYHHHHH!" The Supreme Kai noised.

"UHHHHH!" Kibito followed.

"GHHHNNN!" Queen Serenity followed as well, her mouth gaping and her eyes popping out of her skull.

Only Goku and Serena were a bit oblivious to the magnitude of what had just happened. The block of Kacheen crashed into the ground and created a ditch.

"Oh no!" Gohan said. "Now it's the…Z…dagger!"

"Please no…tell me it isn't true Kibito…!" The Supreme Kai shouted with a gaping mouth.

"It's true…it snapped in two!" Kibito replied with the same expression.

"Please…does anyone know a blacksmith…?" Queen Serenity's expression hadn't changed.

"Uhhh…mother…?" Serena widened her eyes, never seeing her mother act that way before.

"Oh wow…I guess it's called the hardest metal in the universe for a reason isn't it?" Goku said.

"But he who masters the sword…is supposed to have the greatest power in the universe…!" The Supreme Kai was still in disbelief.

"Wield the sword…and you cannot be rivaled! It's legend!" Kibito groaned.

"Hmmm, I guess they must have exaggerated a little bit." Gohan sighed and dropped the bottom half of the sword. But guys, there's definitely a bright side to all of this! The sword training has increased my power a lot!"

"Yes!" The Supreme Kai smiled. "You've definitely gotten stronger and faster from handling it! And if you're stronger now you'll be much more powerful as a Super Saiyan!" He said hopefully. "Gohan doesn't need the sword…he already has the power!"

"But is his power strong enough to beat Morded? I'm not so sure…" Goku responded.

"What are you saying Goku? That we don't have a chance?" The Supreme Kai asked.

"The training's gotta have done something…right?" Serena asked.

"QUIET!" A high pitched voice interrupted.

Everyone was startled at the unexpected new voice and they turned around.


	21. An Old Kai & A New War

**Shameless self-promotion here. Check out my new Tumblr: ****http:/guardofliberty****. tumblr. com/**

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"Heheheh, ah much better!"

All six current residents of the Sacred World of the Kais turned around to see someone dressed in clothing similar to the Supreme Kai with wrinkled purple skin, a white mustache and white hair. He was chuckling in glee.

"Uh, sir? We're in the middle of training!" Goku declared with widened eyes.

"You call that training?" The mysterious figure asked in comedic sarcasm. "Aheheheh!"

"Who are you? How did you get here?" The Supreme Kai asked suspiciously.

"Me?" He smiled. "Check out the hair style youngster! And the ear loops, yes aheheheh!" He laughed. "And the dashing looks! I'm just an older generation of you! Fifteen generations to be precise!"

"What? Fifteen... generations ago?" The Supreme Kai gasped in shock.

The Saiyans and Moon Queens all looked at each other curiously.

"You're how many years old?" The Supreme Kai asked.

"Fifteen generations?" Kibito followed.

"Wait, so are you saying that you were the Supreme Kai before the current Supreme Kai?" Queen Serenity asked as Serena looked up curiously at her.

"Why yes my pretty!" He replied, causing Queen Serenity to widen her eyes. "Remarkable eh? I'm sure you're wondering how I'm still alive!"

"Uhh…yeah?" Serena asked.

"Well you pretty young thing, I'll tell you!" The Kai said, causing Serena's face to redden. "There once was a terrible villain who lived way back when. Well…he wasn't as bad as Bashgal, but he was still pretty bad. The only thing he feared was that I would use my awesome powers to stop him and his evil ways! So he tricked me! He sealed me away inside the Z Sword!"

"You mean you were trapped inside the Z Sword all this time?" The Supreme Kai asked.

"Mhmm!" The Old Kai answered while stretching out, getting used to being free again.

"Hey guys, I don't think this guy looks as strong as he says, do you?" Goku asked his son and the two Moon Queens.

"Not…really…" Gohan agreed.

"Hey, let's put him to the test!" Goku said and held out his hand.

"Uhh…Goku…what are you doing?" Queen Serenity gasped.

Goku formed a small yellow energy blast in his hand and sent it out. A moment later it smacked the Old Kai in the face and he fell to the ground.

"GAAHHHH!" Everyone gasped in shock.

The Supreme Kai and Kibito rushed over to tend to the fallen Kai.

"HOW DARE YOU!" The Old Kai yelled when he got up. "BABIES, BABIES IN DIAPERS, THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL ARE!"

All four of them were slumping over with widened eyes.

"But sir…that attack was just child's play…" Goku trailed.

"My little brother could've handled that…" Gohan followed.

"I think even I would have been able to handle that…" Serena said.

"All of my enemies feared me!" Old Kai said in anger. "But not because of my strength! My menacing capacities is what struck terror into their hearts!"

"Capacities?" Goku muttered.

"Menacing?" Gohan followed.

"Menacing capacities?" Serena combined the two.

"What do you mean?" Goku asked.

"I'm not telling!" Old Kai crossed his arms. "Give me one good reason why I should!" He stuck his tongue out.

"Well…let me see here…hmmm." Goku rubbed his head. "I've got it!" Goku said as he walked closer to the Kai. "My old master likes girly magazines, we'll get you some!"

"Oh boy! Dad!" Gohan immediately erupted and ran up to him.

"Goku please! How inappropriate!" The Supreme Kai frowned.

"Hmph! I have no need for such things!" Old Kai huffed, and then smiled. "With my omniscient vision I can _see_ girls playing volleyball on the beach!"

"AAHH!" The Supreme Kai and Kibito fell down.

Queen Serenity put her hand to her mouth, closed her eyes, and laughed.

_I hope he wasn't watching us play volleyball on the beach!_ Serena slightly frowned while looking at him.

"You call yourself a Kai?" The Supreme Kai asked in shame.

"Maybe I'll do it…" He looked at Serena. "Maybe I'll do it if you let me see up your skirt!"

Serena shrieked and her face turned as red as a volcano. She fingered the Eternal Tiare and wondered whether she should smack this old perverted Kai in the head with it.

Queen Serenity thought that the whole thing was cute and continued to laugh.

_What luck! This guy's just like Master Roshi!_ Goku thought. "Hey old man, how about I get you a date with a real live Earth woman instead!" Goku suggested in Old Kai's ear.

Old Kai turned his attention to Goku, and Serena's breath of relief was clearly visible.

"Ooo! Is she a good kisser?" Old Kai smiled.

"Yeah, of course!" Goku assured.

"Ohh heheh!" Old Kai drooled.

"Dad…" Gohan tapped Goku on the shoulder. "Are you nuts, how are you gonna find someone that wants to go on a date, let alone kiss, that guy?"

"Hey, don't worry!" Goku smiled. "Queen Serenity and I can't go back to Earth, but you and Serena can!"

Serena widened her eyes.

"Serena, which one of the girls do you think would do it? It's worth it if this guy's powers can help us win!"

"Agreed." Queen Serenity smiled.

"Well, let's see…" Serena's loveable nature once again took over as she placed her finger on her chin. "I won't tolerate pedophilia, so Rini and Hotaru are definitely out!"

"You can't be seriously thinking…" Gohan trailed while Queen Serenity laughed hysterically.

Images came to Serena's mind as she thought of each of her friends with the Old Kai.

"Trista…" Serena trailed. "No…she just wouldn't put any effort into it to enjoy it, he'd know it's fake!"

"There's gotta be someone!" Goku said.

"Amara would punch him in the face for being a pervert…" Serena sighed as the image of an angered Amara knocking the Old Kai painfully on his nose came to her mind. "Lita would too, and Michelle would just be too disgusted and turned off. Mina would be too grossed and freaked out like I was!" She declared. "Rei's dead…so she's out, and she'd act too similar to Amara and Lita anyway! That leaves…"

* * *

"Hey everyone, I've finally managed to fix my computer! So now we should be able to pinpoint Mordred's possible plans once he attacks!" Ami declared.

"That's great!" Krillin said.

"Now we can make a plan for a counterattack!" Luna purred.

* * *

"Ami, Ami would do it! She knows what's at stake, and she'd try to put her best foot forward because she's so polite!" Serena smiled. "Ami would do it!"

"Great!" Goku smiled. "I'm sure she will! Ami will listen to you guys!" Goku said to Serena and Gohan.

"Dad…have you looked at that guy? C'mon…and what if his so called powers don't help?" Gohan trailed in bewilderment

Goku ran over to Old Kai "Ok, we've got someone in mind!"

"She's not exactly the most fun person in the world though!" Serena warned with a smile.

"Doesn't really matter, as long as she's a good kisser!" Old Kai said.

"She's a good kisser right Gohan?" Goku asked as he walked over to his son.

"Why are you asking me, I don't want any part in this!" Gohan coughed.

"Just getting the details straight!" Goku leaned back to look at the Kai. "Now was that with lipstick or without?"

"With…definitely with!" Old Kai answered. "Either way would be fine really." He muttered.

"Goku, she'll do it!" Serena answered. "I know she will!"

Goku smiled and rushed over to Old Kai. "It's a done deal!" He held out his hands.

Old Kai high-fived Goku. "Man, you're good!"

"So what are these capacities of yours?" Goku asked as everyone gathered.

"How should I put it in layman's terms?" Old Kai asked as he walked a bit. "If I use my powers on a kitty cat that goes meow, he'll go _roar_. Get it? _Roar!_" He sounded. "In other words an ordinary cat becomes a lion! So you see, therein lies my talent! I awaken people's sleeping powers!"

"Ohhhh!" The Supreme Kai and Kibito sounded with their mouths open, as if they were on the edge of their seats.

"Oh, so then, you're not really that strong yourself…" Goku trailed.

"You fool!" Old Kai rushed over to him. "I can take a person far beyond his limits! The bird becomes an _eagle_! Get it?" Old Kai shouted in Goku's face, with accompanying spit.

"Yeah, it's just a little hard to believe!" Goku closed his eyes and smiled.

"Young people!" Old Kai huffed. "You!" He said to Gohan. "How would you like to have your sleeping powers awakened?"

"Who…me…?" Gohan trailed.

"Yeah you! Get over there!" Old Kai ordered.

"Ok…" Gohan walked to where the Kai pointed.

"A guy like you with the power to break the Z Sword…I can do something with you… Yes, you have great potential!" Old Kai looked at Gohan, and then turned. "Funny though…I always thought that it would be a Kai that broke the Z Sword and rescued me, but you're more of a shoeshine boy than a hero huh?" He asked the Supreme Kai. "The Kais being rescued by mere mortals, things have sure gone downhill!"

"I've always tried my best…" The Supreme Kai trailed.

"Keep your chin up lad, keep your chin up!" Old Kai ordered as he stepped toward Gohan. "There, stay where you are son, remain perfectly still!"

"Right!" Gohan said while fixing his posture.

"Now just relax." Old Kai ordered and held out his hands. "WAKE UP, YOU LAZY NO GOOD POWERS! SLEEPING ALL THIS TIME, HOW DARE YOU! WAKE UP!"

Everyone gathered to watch the Old Kai with nervous stares.

"HOOOYAHH!" He sounded and made a fist. "HHHHYAAHH!" Old Kai made another. He then began to dance in an odd way in a circle around the area that Gohan stood in, shaking his legs and pumping his arms in and out, all the while making strange noises.

Not a person present stood without widened eyes.

"Wake up you! Sleeping powers…! Wake up now!" Old Kai ordered as he continued to dance. "Woohooohooo!"

"Uh, excuse me…sir…?" Gohan asked.

"Be still, this is what sets the mood!" Old Kai replied.

"Sets the mood…? But I thought…" Gohan asked.

"Well stop thinking; this is just the opening ceremony!" Old Kai declared as the widened and constricted eyes of Goku, Serena, Queen Serenity, The Supreme Kai, and Kibito followed him in total bewilderment.

"I don't even want to know what this sets the mood for…" Serena said. "This guy is probably the strangest I've ever met…"

"Good grief, wow…what next? Uh…excuse me, how long is this going to take?" Goku asked.

"Five more hours, power raising! Twenty more after that!" Old Kai answered as he continued to dance.

"Daahh!" Gohan noised.

Goku nervously chuckled and rubbed his shoulder. "Well bye guys, I'm gonna go take a little nap! Do your best Gohan!" Goku waved and walked away.

"Dad don't go!" Gohan gritted nervously.

"Get me up when your sleeping powers wake up!" Goku answered as he took his rest under a nearby tree.

"Well…uhh…mother, I think it's time we got back to training…" Serena suggested.

Normally, anyone would be shocked that Serena would volunteer to do work, but under the circumstances, no one noticed.

"Sure dear…of course…" Queen Serenity agreed, her eyes still constricted as she watched the scene.

"We'll see you in a bit Gohan!" Serena cheered as she and her mother lifted off to go to the nearby small lake where they began training.

"Serena…not you too!" Gohan said through his teeth.

"Well…Kibito…this is quite an unexpected turn of events…" The Supreme Kai hadn't moved, not even to watch the two Moon Queens fly off.

"Yes sir, very odd…" Kibito agreed.

"Why…me…?" Gohan trembled.

* * *

"Master, they'll be here shortly." Chimera stated to Mordred.

Mordred growled. "They better be! It's the morning of a new day, and we need to make this one better than the last! Mercenaries…always doing things on their own terms!"

"It will be worth the wait." Charybdis appeared from the shadows. "Production of new Numba is going far beyond schedule, but we need to be at full strength."

"It's too long!" Mordred snapped.

"Master, need I remind you of what happened the last time we set out?" Medusa countered. "Our enemies are stronger than we gave them credit for."

"We need as much insurance as possible, and she will be very fine insurance." Scylla concluded.

Mordred sighed. "You're right. We must be more cautious than before. That Super Saiyan Three or whatever it was really did legitimately surprise me… Once she comes with her crew, I'll launch the attack; you never know what could happen…"

* * *

Rei gasped as she looked into the grinning face of Cell. Fear filled her entire body, and she could feel her muscles freeze up. It was a miracle that she was able to keep herself in the air with her energy.

"So Vegeta…and Vegeta's friend." He snickered at the pale Rei. "What brings the two of you to this foul place?"

"Where are Goz and Mez?" Vegeta demanded.

Cell snickered. "Why do you care to know? Don't you want to take over this place?"

Vegeta frowned while Rei was still pale in fear, taking cover behind him.

"Who's this girl? Your lady friend?" Cell snickered.

"I won't ask you again." Vegeta frowned.

Cell laughed. "Still as arrogant as ever I see."

Vegeta smirked. "So we'll fight then."

Rei sweated in nervousness as she watched Cell power up. His greenish body was surrounded by a glowing golden aura accompanied by sparks of electricity, akin to what she'd seen in Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta. Rei covered her eyes to shield against the high wind that Cell emitted.

Vegeta laughed and powered up as well, turning Super Saiyan Two. Rei had to back away from the blinding light both warriors were emitting.

"It seems you've become stronger from how pathetically weak you were the last time we fought." Cell snickered.

"Stronger? You have no idea!" Vegeta smirked.

Rei's nervous sweat grew as she watched the two staring at each other. Vegeta and Cell sped off, dematerializing and clashing in the sky. Rei could barely keep up with them, and she was sure that if it hadn't have been for her new Eternal Makeup Power, she would not have been able to follow them at all. She saw Cell land a few feet away from her, grimacing as he caught his fall.

Vegeta smirked as his aura and electricity raged around him, challenging Cell to once again come at him.

Cell let out a war cry and flew up into the air, the wind rushing out from him blew Rei's hair back and she had to cover her eyes with her hand.

Vegeta dematerialized, reappearing to plant a flaming knee into Cell's stomach.

"AAHH!" Cell screamed in pain as his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. The sounds of Vegeta's golden flame and sparks of electricity rushed into the Android's ears.

"Hahahah!" Vegeta laughed in triumph as Cell's expression was reminiscent of when Gohan knocked him to his knees seven years ago. Vegeta followed his knee strike up with a kick to the back of Cell's head that sent him crashing down face-first into the ground.

Rei saw Cell's face in the ground a few feet away from her and smiled as she realized Vegeta's strength. From what she'd heard, he and the other guys had serious trouble with Cell and nearly lost, with Gohan only saving the day at the last minute. But now it appeared that Vegeta was immensely stronger than he was during the Cell Games.

Cell struggled out of his hole and frowned in frustration at the smirking Vegeta hovering in the air.

"What's wrong Cell? Have you finally discovered that you're pathetic weakling?" Vegeta taunted.

"STOP IT!" Cell raged and flew up again at Vegeta, but the Prince of All Saiyans only responded by easily knocking Cell down to the ground again.

Cell raged, unable to believe that he couldn't defeat someone that he used to easily knock around. He then turned his light purple eyes toward Rei and smirked. He held out his hand and formed a ball of energy, pointing it directly at Rei.

Rei gasped and widened her eyes in fear as images of her childhood nightmares immediately returned. Her mouth screamed in involuntary terror as she saw the blast leave Cell's hand and head straight toward her.

Vegeta's eyes widened slightly and he found himself dematerializing and reappearing in front of the blast, feeling the burn as it knocked him away.

"Vegeta!" Sailor Mars called in concern as she watched him fly away with smoke coming off of him. Mars was angered as she saw Cell rush toward Vegeta to take advantage and she formed her ethereal bow of flame in her hands.

"MARS FLAME SNIPER!" She shouted and sent the flaming arrow toward Cell.

"AAHH!" Cell screamed as he felt a pain in his chest. He looked down to see a fiery arrow embedded in his back, the tip of which exited just above his stomach. Cell frowned and turned toward Vegeta's mysterious friend, finding her glaring at him and pointing another one of her fire arrows his way.

Vegeta recovered in the meantime and rushed toward Cell, slamming his foot into Cell's right cheek, sending the Android slamming to the floor again. Vegeta growled and secured a dominant position on the downed Cell, putting his knee in his chest and grabbing his face with his right hand.

"I won't ask again!" Vegeta growled. "Where are those two ogres!"

Cell coughed as he saw Sailor Mars' angry face staring into his painful eyes. She stood just above his horizontal head.

"I locked them up in the jail!" Cell mumbled through Vegeta's hand over his mouth.

Vegeta pulled Cell's head up and stared into his eyes with his menacing Super Saiyan Blues. "Take us there!" He ordered. "And no funny business!"

Cell begrudgingly stood up and took off along with Rei and Vegeta, the two watching him like hawks.

Rei smiled inwardly. Her shot at Cell had conquered her fear, along with Vegeta's easy handling him, of course. Rei wondered however, why Vegeta saved her from being hit by that blast.

Vegeta meanwhile, peered toward Rei with the same thought. He tried hardest not to betray this thinking with his eyes. _Why did I get in the way of that blast so that little girl wouldn't get hit?_ He thought in annoyance.

* * *

"Master Mordred, I am honored to be in your presence." A mysterious female voice sounded out and a figure immersed in the shadows bowed.

"It took you long enough." Mordred sighed.

"My soldiers are ready to be deployed at your discretion." She reported. "In the meantime, are there any…developments?" The figure rose, opening her bright white glowing eyes, which emitted their own light and thus illuminated the shadows around her somewhat.

"From our enemies, no." Mordred answered and rose from his chair. "However." He smiled and led her down a hallway.

Mordred and his new ally came upon the Sprite Sisters, who eyed her slightly suspiciously, but were quickly silenced by her glaring glowing eyes. Mordred nodded at them and they opened a set of glass doors.

Mordred and the mysterious new figure smiled in glee at the sight they beheld. A chorus of thousands of roars filled the area as the six figures on the balcony looked down at an army of thousands of Numba, all cheering and roaring for their Master. They were aligned in disciplined square formations.

"They've gotten a lot more disciplined…and powerful I see." The white-eyed figure with pale grey skin smirked.

"Thanks to a few useful idiots." Mordred snickered. He then looked down at his roaring army and raised his gauntleted hand to silence them. "A new era for the universe is coming! Its triumph is at hand!"

The army of Numba cheered.

"You are the instrument from which that imminence arises!" Mordred continued. "March to Central City! Make sure Earth submits! Kill all who resist the arrival of Lord Bashgal!" Mordred ordered, getting his army into a further frenzy. "TO WAR!" He shouted and raised his hands.

This led the army to a crescendo of eruption as the Numba psyched themselves up for war.

"I trust you with leading this army." He turned back toward the new arrival. "You, the Sprite Sisters, and your soldiers must officer them. Do not fail me."

The figure nodded, as well as the Sprite Sisters. The army began to filter into the air, all floating toward their destination. The Sprite Sisters and the mysterious new arrival also took off, the latter joining her own mercenaries.

"This is where the new era truly begins…" Mordred said with a frown as he watched his troops take flight in their disciplined formations.

* * *

"…!" Everyone on the Lookout gasped as they felt a tremendous amount of energy signatures.

"Is that…" Mina gasped.

"Who else could it be?" Lita frowned.

"I wonder…what we can do against that…" Krillin said with widened eyes.

"We've prepared to the best of our ability." Michelle walked to the front, addressing everyone. "That's all we can hope for; we have to hold them off until Hotaru returns!"

"This is the task that's been placed in front of us." Amara walked up to join her lover. "And we _will_ carry it out!"

Everyone nodded and closed their eyes, psyching themselves up for what was to come.

"We'll stay here, and try to help you out in any way we can!" Bulma assured. "I'll be linked with Ami the entire time with my computer, and I'll give you up to date information for this battle!"

"And we will give you the best advice we can!" Luna followed it up.

"You all have a history of doing this, so I'm confident in you!" Artemis smiled.

"Hold them off and come back safe!" Diana squeaked.

"Please, everyone." Dende implored. "Protect this planet, defend these lands. I'm putting all my faith in you as a Guardian. It's my duty!"

"We will." Yamcha, now once again in his old fighting gear, gave a sad smile.

"After all…this is my planet as well. If anyone has the responsibility to protect it, it's me." Darien, now Tuxedo Mask once again, declared with hardened eyes.

"I have a track on their location!" Ami erupted, typing away on her computer. "They're heading toward Central City and the surrounding villages! They'll probably attack Europe soon after! It looks like there are ten thousand of them!"

Android 18 tearfully hugged her daughter goodbye, followed by Krillin. She and Krillin closed their eyes and held each other's hands, and Amara and Michelle did the same.

"Let's go." Amara finally ordered.

Amara, Michelle, Mina, Lita, Ami, Darien, Yamcha, Krillin, and Android 18 took to the sky.

"Nine of us…against ten thousand!" Michelle whispered to Amara, still not releasing her lover's hand.

Amara frowned as her the wind she loved so much blew in her face. "We'll fight them any way we can…" She tenderly whispered. _Hotaru…you better hurry your butt back here…_


	22. To Guide us from the Curving Path

A grey mist dispelled, leaving six figures on a hill overlooking a walled city. It was late at night. But with no moons, the planet Thracia's night was much darker than Earth's. Only starlight lit the wilderness. Oddly, on this planet, fauna had grayish leafs to absorb the dimmer sunlight a bit better.

"There, that's the capital city of Ismara." Trista said as she looked at the lights. "That's where Helios told us we should go."

"I suspect that the artifact would hold some sort of political or religious significance to them." Piccolo mused. "We should probably go to that large building, it looks like a temple." The Namek pointed at a building that was easily visible, as it was on a hill in the city. It had ornate stone pillars and looked every bit the place that a powerful artifact would reside.

"Well, let's get going then." Hotaru said in response.

The group of six took to the air, slowly flying toward the glowing metropolis in their immediate vision.

"I wonder what they do for fun around here…" Trunks thought.

"Maybe they play all kinds of games on those walls and try not to fall off!" Goten answered.

"Doesn't sound too fun to me…we can fly." Trunks said back.

"Would you two quit fooling around!" Piccolo growled.

The girls thought that the whole thing was cute and laughed.

"I wonder why they have walls though?" Rini said and frowned. "Why would they need such protection? Do you think that we'll be treated as enemies if we go in there?"

"We'll find out soon enough won't we?" Piccolo asked in response.

The six of them went over a section of the wall, seeing that the sentries posted there were all asleep. They landed on a street close to the temple that they'd spotted from the hill. No one saw their flight, and very little people were on the streets. What people there were took little notice of the newcomers. They all looked similar enough. The Cicones were a humanoid race. The only thing that was different about them was their rather thick hair, which sometimes looked like cords. Piccolo drew some curious and afraid glances, but when they saw him with the humans, he was brushed off.

It became apparent that the only ones that were walking around seemed to be scared people running back to their homes or shady characters.

"Sure is empty, isn't it?" Trunks' curiosity continued to grow.

"It's like this town's under siege or something…" Hotaru frowned as they walked.

"Hey babe." A raspy voice sounded from behind the group.

They all turned to see a man with a thick and shaggy beard who was wearing a derby and sunglasses, even though it was the dark of night outside.

"Yo baby, do you want to see something swell?" The man asked Trista.

A large drop of sweat formed on the Soldier of Time's forehead. "No thanks." She frowned, exasperated.

"But I'm looking for treasure!" He continued. "Can I look around your chest?"

Everyone frowned except Rini, who was wondering what this was all about, but Hotaru quickly took action, summoning the Silence Glaive and pointing it directly at the vulgar man's neck, pricking his skin somewhat, and drawing a trickle of blood.

"Get out of here!" Hotaru ordered.

"Yikes! Yes m'am!" The intruder complied and ran away as fast as possible.

Hotaru dispelled the glaive, and Trista began to laugh loudly.

"I dread the thought of what's gonna happen when you start to get hit on by guys!"

Hotaru let out a breath. "Well, it'll tell them to not be creeps at least."

"C'mon, we've lingered here too long." Piccolo beckoned.

They walked for a few more minutes and came upon the structure in question.

"Here it is." Trista said as they all looked up the rather imposing staircase that led into the temple.

"Let's go." Trunks said and began to climb up the stairs, followed by Goten and Rini.

"Wait a minute." Trista admonished. "Do you really just intend for us to go in there and take the shard, if it's even in there to begin with?"

"Well…what other way is there?" Goten asked with widened eyes.

"You kids are acting like true Saiyans aren't you?" Trista smiled with a hand on her forehead, signifying her humorous frustration.

"We'll have to do this with caution. Remember, we don't have a personal relationship with these people the way that we did with Helios." Piccolo cautioned. "Now, let's get up there."

The six of them climbed up the pyramidal-type staircases until they got to the structure at the top. All four of the children marveled at the ornate architecture that they saw as they passed the pillars and went toward wooden double doors with gold carved into the depressed square patterns.

"Halt." Soldiers in plated lamellar scale armor ordered. Their steel helmets had red plumes on the top. They were pointing halberds and what looked to be hand cannons that shot energy blasts at all of the newcomers.

Piccolo and Trista set an example and raised their hands in deference, followed by the kids.

"We're unarmed, and we didn't come here to fight." Piccolo stated.

"What did you come here for then?" A voice sounded out.

The group peered to see a man with a blue stripe across his chest under his armor and a helmet with a white plume coming to stand in front of the temple doors. He had long black hair that went below his shoulders and icy blue eyes. He wore a Kilij sword on his hip.

"All we wanted to do was see the temple treasures. We came from far and wide to take a look." Trista answered, giving a half-truth, hoping it would work.

"I'm Vaclav Evanthes, High Guardian of the Temple." He introduced. "I've never seen your faces around here, seems you must be from off the planet."

"We are." Piccolo answered. "I'm Piccolo, that's Trista, Hotaru, Trunks, Rini, and Goten. We've come all the way from Earth to see this place."

"Very well, you obviously aren't our enemies, but I am watching." Vaclav made clear. He then signaled with his arms for the guards to ease off and open the temple, which they did.

All six widened their eyes as they saw the glow of the room, and they wandered inside, with Vaclav and a few other guards close behind them.

"This temple is dedicated to the wonder and oneness of the cosmos, and the One Who Oversees It." Vaclav explained. "All of our treasures are evidence of how magnificent it is, and that is what we revere."

"Hey!" Hotaru erupted after she turned her head to the left. She walked over to a shard encased in glass. It was purplish and she could see that it connected to the upper left portion of her other shard.

The others quickly followed, and then came Vaclav and the guards.

"Yes, that shard was said to come from a great battle long ago." Vaclav explained.

Hotaru turned toward him, her purple eyes determined. "I need that shard." She stated.

"What?" Vaclav asked with an incredulous smile.

"It's a long story, but that shard came from a sword that belonged to my father." Hotaru explained. "I need to reassemble that sword; the fate of the universe might depend on it!"

"Kid, I can't just give that treasure to you!" Vaclav said in exasperation.

The temple guards began to lower their weapons, but Vaclav stopped them.

"Please let us explain." Piccolo entered the fray.

"Don't bother." Vaclav frowned. "I have bigger problems on my hands than the stories of a few odd tourists! This city and our entire planet are under siege by invaders! I can't deal with this nonsense!"

"But sir, it really isn't nonsense, if you would just please let us explain-

"Get out." Vaclav ordered, cutting Trista off.

"No, we came here to get that shard, so we're gonna get it!" Trunks roared, his father's mannerisms taking over.

A tense standoff began between Vaclav and the other guards and the crew of adventurers.

"Why not tell us about your problems?" Hotaru asked. "Perhaps we can help you out?"

"How could you help us?" Vaclav asked suspiciously.

"We can, trust me." Piccolo answered.

Vaclav sighed. "Unfortunately, circumstances are so dire that I can't refuse any offer. Let me take you to the President, we'll sort this all out. Besides, I can't make the decision you want anyway. Follow me."

The group followed Vaclav outside and watched him take to the sky, which surprised them a bit. To Vaclav's own surprise, the strange group quickly followed him.

"Surprising, not many people on this planet can fly. Perhaps there's more to you group of strangers than meets the eye." Vaclav complimented.

"There's plenty more! Just watch!" Rini erupted.

"We'll see." Vaclav answered coldly.

"I don't get this." Trunks muttered with a frown. "We can easily take all of these guys out and get out of here with the shard."

"Definitely." Trista answered. "But if we did that, we'd be no better than Mordred and Bashgal."

"But if the fate of the universe is really at stake…" Goten trailed.

"Utilizing force to achieve a goal except counteracting force makes for an empty, degraded accomplishment, and life." Piccolo interjected. "That's an important thing that Gohan and Goku taught me."

Trunks and Goten drooped as they all followed Vaclav and landed at a palace. They followed him inside, past more guards, until they got to a highly decorated room.

"Wait here." Vaclav commanded.

They all sat down as Vaclav went inside a room. He emerged out the door a few minutes later.

"Come." He beckoned, ushering them all through the door and into a big office with green carpeting.

"High Guardian…this is very unusual…" A nervous man with long grey hair sounded out from a chair.

"They can all fly, so there's at least something to them." Vaclav answered.

"I am President Mentes of the Cicones." The man explained. "And the High Guardian has given me the gist of your matter. Are you travelers saying you want our prized shard?"

"Yes." Piccolo answered. "Let us explain…"

"…And that's the whole story." Trista finished some time later.

"Seems important…" Vaclav stroked his chin. "But even so, we can't just give you our treasure."

"I…I agree." President Mentes answered nervously. "We have a crisis of our own; giving up a symbol may hurt our morale!"

"But don't you see that the fate of the entire universe is at stake!" Trunks asked in anger. "Whatever crisis you have here will be nothing compared to the one that you'll have if Bashgal is set free again!"

"That may be so." Vaclav agreed. "But we still can't give it to you."

Everyone frowned, except Hotaru.

"Tell us about this crisis of yours, I'm curious." She beckoned.

Vaclav sighed. "Recently, a gang of alien invaders have taken our planet hostage. They're called the Cyclops Gang, and there are thirty of them."

"How can only thirty hold an entire planet hostage?" Piccolo asked skeptically.

"You haven't seen them." Vaclav weakly smiled. "They're monstrous- thirty feet tall, and their skin is so hard that they're immune to most attacks, even energy or magic blasts. But that's not even the worst. They each have one large eye that they can shoot a laser out of. It burns anything in its path. We've lost swaths of men because of those things."

"So what do they want?" Trista asked.

"We don't know. So far they've just been after plunder and personal gratification, but more and more of our people have been getting killed, and we simply don't know what to do…" Vaclav trailed.

"If we were to help you defeat the Cyclops Gang, would you give us the shard in exchange?" Hotaru asked.

"…" President Mentes trailed.

"Sir, I believe it would be wise to accept their help." Vaclav suggested. "Our people's livelihood is a higher price to pay than a temple treasure."

"Very well." Mentes agreed. "If you help us defeat the Cyclops Gang, you'll have your shard. Vaclav, please show them to a guest room…and I need to get some sleep." He sighed.

Vaclav walked out with the group of six.

"This Mentes seems to not have a cool head." Trista said.

"He seemed like a nervous wreck…can't blame him, but that isn't helpful is it?" Rini asked.

"One can't blame him, it's true, but it's been less than helpful." Vaclav sighed. "I just hope you all can live up to your story. Anyway, here's your room, and some information." He opened a door and handed Piccolo a few papers. "We're planning a last ditch offensive to keep the Cyclops Gang away from the city walls. They're all holding up in the mountains to the north. I expect you all to be there tomorrow."

"We will." Piccolo answered.

"Get your rest." Vaclav smirked and closed the door.

* * *

"So, what's our plan?" Trista asked a few minutes later as they all dressed to take a rest. She, Rini, and Hotaru were once again in civilian form. "According to this briefing, they are hardened against most attacks, I'm not sure we can simply bring them down."

"Trunks and Goten, the time is right. I think you're going to have to fuse for tomorrow. So let's do a few more practice tests, and then I want you to fuse for real." Piccolo ordered.

The two half Saiyans nodded at each other and began to do a few practice dances, shouting "FUSION HA!" each time.

"Good!" Piccolo encouraged. "Your timing is nearly perfect. Now, let's go, it's time to try the fusion for real!"

"You guys better get it; we're going to need it." Trista ordered.

"Right!" Trunks and Goten answered.

"…I wonder what this thing's actually going to look like." Rini asked with wide eyes.

"I wonder what his name will be. I think Gotenks sounds all right." Hotaru mused.

Trunks and Goten got into position and held their arms out.

"FUUUU!" They shouted as they came in closer. "SIONNNN!" They continued, pivoting their legs and moving their arms back out. "HA!" They shouted and connected their index fingers.

A bright blue flash erupted in the room, and in a second, a figure emerged, wearing white pants and a blue vest with no shirt. He had black eyes and long hair shocked to a spike.

"Whoa it worked!" Piccolo shouted as he saw a determined face staring at him.

"Hmmm…I think he looks more like Trunks than Goten." Rini looked on in amazement. "What do you think?" She asked Hotaru.

"I think you're right, except for the eyes." Hotaru answered.

"Though his hair is very Vegeta-esque." Trista smiled. "Feel that energy, incredible!" She smiled. "And he'll be much stronger as a Super Saiyan!"

The girls all smiled at the sight.

"All right. Tomorrow we'll do the fusion again, and this time you'll be Super Saiyans." Piccolo ordered.

"Oh no, I don't think so!" Gotenks countered with his dual voice, holding out a finger.

"What?" Piccolo widened his eyes.

"Those Cyclops are weak, no match for me. I'll take them down right now." Gotenks smirked.

"What are you talking about?" Trista gasped.

She gasped further when Gotenks sped out through a window, flying off to the area in question.

"Wow…he sure is a cocky one isn't he?" Hotaru sighed.

"He'll be back…I think." Rini let out a breath.

"He better be, he might be our only hope!" Piccolo growled.

* * *

"There's the fire on the horizon. That must be them." Gotenks smirked. "Time to have a bit of fun!"

Gotenks heard loud sounds of feasting and cheering as he came closer.

"Tomorrow, we feast on the bones of our enemies!" The Cyclops' leader, Polyphemus declared in triumph.

"It'll be fun." Another Cyclops, Grendel, smirked and bellowed, spitting out the bones he was munching on, the flesh all gone. Suddenly, he felt a little tickle on the back of his head.

"What was that?" One of the Cyclops bellowed, noticing the yellow blast.

"That would be me." A dual voice sounded out in the darkness. A few seconds later, he flew to a position that was illuminated by the fire.

"Who the hell are you?" One of the Cyclops growled.

"I'm just the guy that's gonna take all you pathetic losers down!" Gotenks bragged and pointed at them, smirking widely. "And now, it's time to get a nice Gotenks kick to that ugly eyeball of yours! HYYYYYAAHHH!" Gotenks shouted and sped toward Grendel, kicking him in the eye. But to his horror, Grendel didn't even flinch.

"Was that supposed to be an attack?" Grendel asked in mockery. He then smirked with his foot-wide mouth. "I think your flesh will be tasty."

"We'll call our portions when we roast him alive." Polyphemus boomed. "Get him boys!"

"Whoa!" Gotenks shouted when the all of the Cyclops rushed toward him.

He dematerialized around the field, avoiding hits. Gotenks flew back toward the top of a mountain and unleashed a flurry of energy blasts on his targets, but again to his horror, the Cyclops didn't flinch, only booming toward him with each and every step. A second later, a large red laser came out of one of the Cyclops' eyes, vaporizing the ground Gotenks stood on, causing the fused half Saiyan to freefall.

"Uh oh!" Gotenks said, seeing Polyphemus right in front of him before he could fly. Gotenks' small ankle was grasped by the Cyclops Gang leader's gigantic hand. "Let's not be too hasty!" Gotenks pleaded.

Polyphemus' giant hand punching Gotenks square in the eye was his answer.

"Ow!" Gotenks shouted in pain, still being grasped by the leader of the Cyclops Gang. Polyphemus hit Gotenks with two more hard rights.

"My turn now!" Grendel growled. "Throw him here!"

Polyphemus smirked and threw the startled Gotenks to Grendel, who knocked him in the back and sent the fused half Saiyan crying and tumbling to the ground.

"Time to fillet the flesh!" One of the Cyclops ordered, followed by the cheers of the others.

"Wait a minute, we can be friends!" Gotenks pleaded.

"Why would we be friends with a pesky kid like you?" Grendel boomed.

"Uh…hey look, there's a UFO!" Gotenks pointed.

"Huh?" All of the Cyclops turned their heads to look.

Gotenks used the opportunity to dematerialize and reappear a few feet away, and then sped off under cover of darkness.

"Where'd that damn kid go?" Polyphemus growled.

* * *

Gotenks flew back to the city, eventually flying through the window of his room, making sure to keep his back turned to the others.

"Well…how did it go?" Hotaru asked.

"Uh…" Gotenks answered and turned back, revealing a swollen left eye and multiple nasty bruises. "Well…they're a bit tougher than I thought…" He laughed akin to Goku, rubbing his head nervously.

Rini and Hotaru fell over, and at the same time Gotenks' fusion dissolved, revealing a nervous Goten and Trunks.

"How could you do such a stupid thing!" Trista shouted in frustration as the two boys' faces drooped.

"We're sorry." They both mumbled.

"Do you have any idea of the danger you just put yourselves- and our possibility for success in!" She continued.

"We're sorry." They said again.

"You're trash if you ask me!" Piccolo emerged, yelling at them. "We're doing things MY WAY from now on! Do you understand! Tomorrow, you two will fight the Cyclops Gang as a fused Super Saiyan, do you understand me!" He growled, enraged.

"Yes sir." They drooped.

"Good, now it's time to rest!" The Namek followed up.

* * *

Vaclav Evanthes watched as the force he was commanded to lead, namely the Temple Guards and a couple of reserve legions assembled in the city's square.

"Are we all ready to move out?" He boomed the question.

"Yes sir!" All of the soldiers answered.

"Now…where are they?" Vaclav asked, and a second later, a few glints in the sky appeared in his peripheral vision, taking the forms of the group of adventurers a few seconds later. They landed in front of him, eliciting 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from the crowd. "Men, this group of foreign volunteers has agreed to help us, I want you to welcome them!" He ordered.

"We're ready." Trista, once again Sailor Pluto, declared.

"We'll have to march. Most of my men can't fly." Vaclav said.

"Lame!" Trunks and Goten said at once.

"Move out now!" Vaclav ordered, ignoring them.

"Boys, it's time to transform, we'll do the fusion when we get to the front!" Piccolo ordered.

Trunks and Goten both transformed into Super Saiyans, eliciting awe from the soldiers on the march. The group quickly fell in line with Vaclav, who was himself surprised at the boy's transformation.

"Well, you guys are full of surprises aren't you?" Vaclav smirked. "Let's continue on!"

* * *

The group continued to march for around an hour, until they finally got to the front lines. Screams filled the air as the first wave of Cicone soldiers began to clash with the Cyclops Gang.

"Whoa!" Piccolo grunted when he saw one of the Cyclops throw a fully armored soldier away like an insect. Piccolo just managed to avoid a collision with the living projectile. "Well, here we go!" Piccolo growled and threw away his weighted clothing, allowing him to fight to his fullest potential.

A line of soldiers began to fire their energy hand cannons at the Cyclops, but they continued to charge forward and smashed them away, plowing through their lines. Some of the Cicones were squashed like bugs beneath the Cyclops' feet.

"Small Lady, I want you to stay behind the front line. Only act as a support for us, is that understood?"

"Yes…" Rini sighed. She would have been mad, but she knew that she was by far the weakest member of their group, and that her longtime friend took her safety seriously.

Sailor Pluto and Piccolo took off together, instinctively timing their attacks against a Cyclops that was busy pummeling through waves of Cicone halberdiers.

"Dead Scream!"

"Special Beam Cannon!"

The purple and orange attacks both scored a direct center-mass hit on the target Cyclops, but both fighters were dismayed when the attacks harmlessly broke on his hardened peach-brown skin, doing nothing. The Cyclops turned toward them and made for a downward smack with his huge hand. Sailor Pluto and Piccolo dodged in-between it.

"Boys, it's time for the fusion!" Piccolo called.

"Right!" They called out and began their dance. "FUUUSIOONNNHAAA!" They shouted and joined their fingers. A bright flash lit the entire battlefield, but to the adventurers' horror, what emerged was not Gotenks as a Super Saiyan, but a fat Gotenks, his hair clearly black.

"Oh no, something must have gone wrong!" Sailor Chibi Moon shouted.

"Uhh…I'm still strong!" Gotenks shouted and ran forward, only to tire out after a few yards.

Sailor Saturn looked on with widened eyes.

"Great, now what!" Piccolo shouted, he and Sailor Pluto standing behind a hill for cover.

"We'll have to hold them off for thirty minutes until the boys can try it again!" Sailor Pluto ordered.

"What the hell is going on? What was that?" Vaclav asked as he landed in front of the two, his Kilij drawn.

"Vaclav, that boy may be the only way to defeat the Cyclops Gang. It's imperative that we prevent him from being harmed for thirty minutes, trust me!" Piccolo pleaded.

"Very well, you've delivered so far. I'll order my men to keep the Cyclops away from him as best I can!" And with that Vaclav once again took to the air.

"Oh no!" Trista gasped as she saw one of the Cyclops' eyes redden, aiming straight for the fat Gotenks.

Sailor Saturn instinctively flew in front of Gotenks, landing and positioning her glaive.

"Silent Wall!" She shouted, just as the Cyclops unleashed his laser. The hot red beam dispelled off of Saturn's barrier, eliciting smiles from the troops that were fighting, who'd never seen such a feat.

"Get that Cyclops off of them!" Vaclav ordered to his troops, who plowed forward, halberds and hand cannons drawn.

The troops were easily crushed and thrown with the Cyclops' flailing hands, landing painfully on the ground or dying beneath the Cyclops feet.

"TONIGHT WE FEAST ON AN ARMY OF FLESH!" Polyphemus boomed over the battlefield.

Vaclav came toward Polyphemus with his sword drawn, but the Cyclops Gang's leader smacked him away, sending him careening into a mountainside.

"Vaclav!" Sailor Pluto shouted as she and Piccolo went rushing toward him.

"I'm fine…just banged up…" He coughed.

Piccolo growled and launched a torrent of energy blasts towards two approaching Cyclops, but they did nothing to hurt the beasts. They only seemed to amuse them. Sailor Pluto removed the Garnet Orb from her rod and made it glow with her hands.

"CHRONOS TYPHOON!" She shouted, unleashing a whirlwind of energy toward her targets.

The whirlwind only slightly blew the Cyclops back, certainly not tearing them apart. Sailor Saturn rushed upward to defend her friends with her glaive.

"Silence Glaive Surprise!" Saturn shouted, unleashing an aerial attack for the first time in her life.

"WOAH!" Grendel cried out as he rushed forward, being knocked to the ground by the large purple-white explosion. He was surprised, but otherwise unhurt.

Vaclav and the Temple Guards looked on in awe at Saturn's attack, astonished that she'd been able to knock one of the fiercest Cyclops down. Saturn narrowed her purple eyes in determination and anger, causing even the Cyclops Gang to second guess themselves.

"GOTENKS!" Sailor Pluto yelled as she saw a tired fused half Saiyan taking a breather and a Cyclops racing right toward him.

"Protect that kid!" Vaclav ordered. "MOVE IT!"

The Temple Guards and regular troops swarmed to the fat Gotenks. They screamed and cried as the Cyclops smashed his hands to the ground, crushing the Cicone troops as if they were insects.

"Get that fat one!" Polyphemus boomed. "He looks tasty!"

"Uh oh!" Gotenks shouted and ran away as the entire gang closed in on him.

"UH!" Piccolo, and all of the three Sailor Scouts that were present gasped as one of them closed in on Gotenks, but at the last second, a bright flash came from his body and he split back into Trunks and Goten.

"Boys, get out of there!" Piccolo ordered.

Trunks and Goten both powered up to Super Saiyan and gritted their teeth, flying away.

Piccolo, Pluto, Saturn, and Chibi Moon met up behind a hill for cover.

"They can't do the fusion again for a little while; we still have to hold them off for a bit!" Piccolo informed them.

"What happened?" Chibi Moon asked the two boys as they landed near her.

"I think Trunks didn't fully extend his fingers!" Piccolo answered.

All six of them looked on as they saw Grendel swing his huge hands about, sending an entire line of hand cannon troops flying through the air and smashing into the rocks. Their armor could not hold off death for many of them.

All around them the lines were collapsing, and to the group, it seemed like a sad movie, one that you were unable to keep yourself from just sitting back and watching. Sailor Saturn narrowed her eyes.

"I'm gonna hold them off and buy you some more time!" She declared. "Don't screw this one up!"

"Hey!" The two boys shouted as Saturn sped off to the flank, which had been turned by a pair of Cyclops.

"Piccolo!" Sailor Pluto cried out.

The Namek nodded at her and they followed after her, speeding right into the fray and avoiding the Cyclops' fists as best they could. Saturn gasped as she saw the fist of Polyphemus heading right toward her.

"HOTARU!" Pluto cried.

"SILENT WALL!" She shouted.

Saturn and Polyphemus both grimaced and struggled as they tried to overcome the other. Saturn eventually won out and the barrier produced a powerful explosion, knocking the Cyclops down. Saturn frowned and followed it up by speeding toward the downed Polyphemus and jutting her glaive into his eye.

"AAAHHHHHHH!" Polyphemus' scream was so loud that the entire battle stopped and everyone took notice of the girl in purple and burgundy pulling her bloodied glaive out of the Cyclops Gang leader's eye. "YOU LITTLE BRAT!" He screamed and got to his feet. "TIME TO DIE!" He began punching at Saturn, but she easily dodged his wild swings.

Vaclav and other troops stopped to take notice and their defeated smiles began to turn into bouts of laughter.

"GET THAT KID!" Grendel roared and all the Cyclops left their positions to charge toward Sailor Saturn.

"BOYS, IT'S TIME, GO FOR IT!" Piccolo yelled.

"YES!" Trunks and Goten both said at once. They took their stances beside Mini Moon. "FUUUSIONNNNHAAAA!" They shouted and extended their index fingers. A bright light once again engulfed the battlefield and even the Cyclops stopped to look. The light emitted a hugely powerful wave that blew rocks all around the field.

Mini Moon gasped at the intensity of the brightness as her hair blew back. Piccolo and Pluto looked on nervously and Saturn looked on curiously.

What emerged was a smirking Gotenks, his hair gold and his eyes blue-green.

"Yes! They did it!" Pluto smiled.

Vaclav gasped, along with the few remaining Cicone troops. Even the Cyclops gritted their teeth at what they saw.

"You guys remember me don't you?" Gotenks smirked. "Now it's time for me to bring you disgusting freaks down!" His smirk widened. Gotenks then sped off toward the nearest Cyclops, reaching the startled creature in a flash.

"Damn he's fast!" Piccolo grunted.

The Cyclops widened his eye and attempted to punch the familiar kid, but Gotenks dematerialized and reappeared behind the offender.

"This won't be like last night!" He lectured with his finger. "GALACTIC DONUT ATTACK!" Gotenks called and formed a large pale yellow ring above his hand. He then threw it over the Cyclops. It closed around him and brought him to the ground.

"GRRR!" The Cyclops struggled as Gotenks sped off.

"KID!" Grendel roared, but Gotenks cut him off by doing the same thing, ending with every single Cyclops struggling on the ground.

Gotenks smirked and tightened the ring, causing all of the Cyclops to shout in intense pain.

"Now time for the coup de grace." He smirked. "SUPER GHOST KAMIKAZE ATTACK!" The fused Saiyan then, to everyone's surprise, spat out thirty white ghosts from his mouth. All of them formed looked like their creator. "FORM UP!" Gotenks ordered his new army.

"Yes!"

"What is it boss?"

"Tell us!"

Piccolo and Pluto widened their eyes when they saw the ghosts talking, while Mini Moon and Saturn thought it was funny.

"Your mission is to speed down those Cyclops nasty old mouths! They wanted something to eat, and you're going to give it to them!"

"YES SIR!" All the ghosts complied at once. They all laughed and flew toward the shocked Cyclops Gang, except for Polyphemus who couldn't see.

Grendel was the first to be hit. Struggling inside his entrapment, he could do nothing against the ghost which flew down his mouth. A second later, he groaned and exploded from the inside out. His innards spewed all over the field. This was quickly followed by all of the other Cyclops, with the raging Polyphemus being the last to go.

Gotenks smirked and held out a victory sign as the battle came to an end.

Vaclav was stunned, but then burst out into laughter, followed by the remaining Cicones on the field as the companions all regrouped near Gotenks. The girls smiled at the laughing soldiers.

"Good job Gotenks." Piccolo congratulated.

"Yeah!" Gotenks ego was still inflated, still holding out his victory sign.

"Vaclav, can we have the shard now?" Trista asked the Cicone commander.

"Of course!" He laughed, grinning from ear to ear. "You've all proven that you can do a lot more with it than we can! Follow me!"

The group all smiled and took off after Vaclav, and they were being cheered by the Cicones down below.

"Finally some fanfare, I deserve it all!" Gotenks smirked.

* * *

"On behalf of our people and planet, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for rescuing us from peril and guiding us from the path that curves to destruction." The president, Mentes, spoke to the group of six (Trunks and Goten had again separated) in the temple. "As a token of our gratitude, please take this treasure, and use it to do the great things you've just shown yourselves capable of doing."

Piccolo and Trista pointed toward Hotaru, and Mentes handed her the purple sword shard. As soon as Hotaru touched it, she remembered more things of her father, such as when he first touched down on the Sea of Serenity at the beginning of the war, to much fanfare, and his planning sessions for future military endeavors.

Vaclav began an applause that everyone followed as the group all walked out of the temple and down the steps.

"So where do we go next?" Rini chimed, thankful that they'd all helped to save a planet.

"I don't know, Helios' trail stops here." Trista drooped.

"Let's go to New Namek." Piccolo said.

"Huh?" Everyone eyed him in wonder.

"The Grand Elder Moori is very wise and knows all kinds of universal lore. We should ask him." He followed.

"Very well then." Trista agreed. "To New Namek!" She raised her Garnet Rod and the group of adventurers disappeared into the grey mist from which they came.


	23. Advance of the Numba

**Care to watch a show my friends and I did where we actually put Sailor Moon up against Goku to find out who's deadliest? Check this out then: http:/ .com /user /DeadliestFictWarrior. (I'm Bruce Octavius if you watch the show.) They may be allies here, but who would win in a hypothetical fight to the death?**

**Also, don't forget to check out my Tumblr: http:/ . com/**

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* * *

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"SPACE SWORD…BLASTER!" Sailor Uranus shouted.

"GRAAAA!" Several Numba screamed as they felt the waves of energy cutting them apart.

"SUBMARINE…REFLECTION!" Sailor Neptune shouted, never far from her lover's side.

"RAAGGH!" Numba shouted as they felt the shine of the blue beams incinerate them, leaving their blood and guts everywhere.

"Keep holding out everyone, we have to kill as many of them as we can before they enter the city!" Sailor Uranus shouted at the top of her lungs.

"URANUS!" Neptune screamed.

She gasped when she saw a Numba with its claws drawn rushing at her out of the corner her green eyes. She managed to catch the imposing creature's hands, but felt blood coming out of the tops of her own as the claws nicked her. She gritted her teeth and struggled against it, but then in a flash saw the thing flying away, followed by its startled scream at being vaporized by a yellow explosion.

"Thanks 18." Uranus smiled as the blonde-haired cyborg landed beside her and only nodded. She was followed by Krillin.

"HAHH!" Krillin shouted and sent a blast of energy toward a squad of incoming Numba vaporizing all of them.

The group was fighting in a rural area of woods and a smattering of homes around fifty miles outside of Central City. Individually, they had success against their opponents, but the Numba just kept coming.

"Man, I sure wish Goku was here." Krillin sighed with a smirk.

"Me too." Uranus smirked back as she saw more Numba marching toward her position, flashbacks of Goku's Super Saiyan 3-induced carnage of Mordred's first army entering her mind.

"Well we better get back to our station." Krillin spoke for him and his wife. "You guys take care of yourselves."

"You too." Uranus smirked as she watched Krillin and 18 fly back to the hill in the nearby woods they chose to defend.

"DEEP…SUBMERGE!" Sailor Neptune shouted and unleashed her attack. Her blue orb smashed into a few Numba and crushed them beneath its wave.

Sailor Venus shouted atop a roof of a house as she unleashed her attack. "CRESCENT BEAM SHOWER!"

The yellow beam emitting from her finger separated into multiple blasts and punched holes through a line of six Numba, all of them gurgled and slumped to the ground. Venus widened her bright blue eyes when she saw a squad of Numba firing energy blasts at her position.

"WOAH!" Venus shouted as one of the blasts hit the house, destroying it. She caught herself in midair and backed away, landing behind the rubble. She saw Yamcha landing beside her.

"Word of advice, don't stay in such an exposed position without backup!" He told her.

"Yes!" She answered with a smile and a nervous sweat.

Sailors Jupiter and Mercury landed nearby.

"They just keep coming!" Jupiter growled.

"Here comes some more!" Venus screeched as she saw a gang of Numba rushing toward them from the sky.

"JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!" Sailor Jupiter yelled and sent her energetic green leaves flying at the enemy, incinerating them in patches.

Just as soon as they were dispatched however, a new cloud of Numba began to form and move toward the scattered group.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

The present Inner Scouts all shouted and unleashed their attacks at the same time, pulverizing the front line of the approaching Numba, but the ones in back took off and flew right at them

"AHHH!" The three of them shouted and took to the sky to avoid the numerous magical rays that the Numba shot out of their claws.

"SPIRIT BALL!" Yamcha shouted, forming a small yellow ball above his right hand.

Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury gasped as they watched Yamcha manipulate his energy ball into the Numba, using it to punch through each of the approaching group with accurate precision. They gurgled and fell to the ground dead.

"You guys better watch yourselves." Yamcha smirked when his attack was finished.

"Thanks!" They all smiled at once as he took off to the sky to go back to his station.

"TUXEDO MASK!" Sailor Uranus' voice carried over the entire area.

All gasped as they saw the man struggle against a Numba attacking him. He struggled to hold his cane up against the Numba's huge claws. Sailor Uranus rushed forward with all her agility and sliced the unsuspecting Numba in half with the Space Sword.

"Thanks." He grunted.

"I really wish you would have stayed at the Lookout…" Uranus frowned as she saw more enemies incoming.

"I have to fight; this planet is my responsibility, perhaps even more than all of you." He answered.

"We have to protect you as much as Sailor Moon, in order to ensure our future." Sailor Neptune landed before the two. "Tuxedo Mask, I really think you should go back to the Lookout."

"I'm not going." He immediately countered in an annoyed tone. He threw a rose at an incoming Numba, hitting it in the eye and making it groan. Krillin finished it off with a Destructo Disc.

"Well guys, they just keep coming!" Krillin said as he widened his eyes to see a much larger force approaching.

Ami landed by the group and did a scan with her visor and computer. "What we were fighting was just the advance battalions; here comes one of the main forces!"

"Retreat!" Bulma's voice sounded out on Ami's computer.

"That area is too wide to defend!" Luna warned from the Lookout.

"All right, retreat to our secondary defense line!" Uranus ordered.

"Ok." Krillin agreed and took off, firing a series of blasts into the Numba line for good measure.

Sailor Venus sighed and took to the sky, her eyes saddening at the destruction she saw the horde of Numba causing to the woods and the rural buildings that they'd been fighting in.

"How can we stop these guys…?" She trailed.

She was startled when Sailor Neptune put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring look.

"We will find a way."

* * *

The Nameks all looked on in awe as Piccolo and his companions landed. Always mindful of Piccolo's help in the war on their previous planet, he was a celebrity, and when it was heard that he had fused with Kami to become the original Nameless Namek, his Namekian celebrity status rose that much higher.

"Piccolo, welcome." Elder Moori went outside of his home and greeted the crew as they landed.

"Elder, I am sure you're aware of strange events happening on Earth."

Elder Moori looked up at his fellow Namek with a serious gaze as other residents of the village gathered around him and the group of visitors.

"Yes, I've felt a series of tremendous powers there recently, including what could only be Goku- but that seems impossible!"

"It was him." Trista assured. "I am Trista Meioh, the Guardian of Time, Sailor Pluto. We have much to discuss."

The Grand Elder of New Namek nodded and invited the group inside his home.

* * *

"I see." Moori sat on his throne. "So, the future of the universe itself might be placed on this young child." He motioned toward Hotaru. "I have seen stranger things in my time however. So, you say that you need to find the shards of the broken Tyrant's Bane?"

"Yes, that was why we came to you." Trista answered.

"I need to reassemble that sword. It will be the catalyst for summoning the power that I need." Hotaru explained.

"Remember young one, that you must rely on yourself, not a weapon." Moori smiled at her.

"Yes." Hotaru smiled.

"We've got a problem though!" Trunks burst, getting to the point. "We have two of the pieces, but we don't know where the others are!"

"And Piccolo said you know a lot of stuff so you might know where they are!" Goten was never far behind his friend.

"Hmmm, well, let's see." Moori got up from his throne and went over to his library. "You all said that you got one piece from Elysion on Earth, and the other from the Cicones' temple, correct?"

"Yes." Trista answered.

"Hmm now…" The Grand Elder went on his computer, surprising his guests. "What? You think we go without technology here on New Namek?" Moori laughed at them. "Now, let's see my database…enter the description…and…here!"

The others leaned in curiosity.

"According to our records the remaining five pieces are in these locations. One is held by a lonely damsel, the second lies in a world of sand. The third is held by a king of the winds. The fourth is held in a house of ice. And the fifth is resting in a dark and mysterious sanctum." He stated cryptically. "Here, take this map for yourselves." He said and handed the printed documents to Piccolo.

"Where should we go first?" Rini asked looking up at the Grand Elder.

Moori smiled at the pink-haired girl. "I recommend visiting the damsel first. She's the heiress of a powerful noble family on Planet Wilusia. You'll find there a lady by the name of Dame Lyoness. She and her lands are currently under siege by a knight by the name of Ironside and his three assistants. All of them are very strong, but Ironside is much stronger than the other three. Be very wary. Lyoness has the shard. If you lift the siege, she'll probably give it to you."

"Lame! How come we have to keep doing this run around?" Trunks scoffed.

"Trunks!" Trista laughed, understanding his frustration.

"Well then we should be on our way!" Hotaru smiled. "Thank you Elder Moori."

"If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask me." The Grand Elder smiled at them.

"We won't." Piccolo smiled.

"Thank you." Trista smiled and got up from her seat. She held up the Garnet Rod and the six adventurers disappeared in a grey mist.

Elder Moori smiled. He had no problem knowing that the fate of the universe rested in the hands of those that protected Earth.

"It's in your hands. I believe in you." He whispered into thin air.

* * *

"Now get in there!" Vegeta barked and booted Cell into Hell's jail, followed by his co-conspirators.

"Amazing!" Goz complimented. "The two of you put these guys down flat!"

"And in very little time!" Mez followed. "Thank you both."

"We have a favor to ask of you." Rei turned toward the two Ogres with a smile, while Vegeta stood with his usual dismissive posture.

"What'll it be?" Mez asked.

"We need to know the location of a guy named Mark Hecate. He died during the time of the Silver Millennium, but according to King Yemma, no one knows where he actually is. It's vitally important to the universe that we find him."

"Hecate?" Both of them asked at once in surprise.

"He disappeared a long time ago!" Goz continued.

"You'll have to go through the Forbidden Zone to find him." Mez continued.

"Forbidden Zone?" Rei asked with widened eyes while Vegeta only frowned with his arms crossed.

"It's a zone that even we're afraid of down here in Hell." Goz said.

"That's Dagoth Ur's domain…" Mez said in a state bordering on fear.

"Dagoth Ur?" Rei asked while Vegeta shifted his body in a sign of interest.

Both of the Ogres sighed in fear upon even mentioning the name.

"Long ago, on the planet of Nirn there was a mortal who, using profane tools, became a living god, until he was rendered mortal once again and overthrown. For his selfish and traitorous existence, King Yemma sent him to Hell. But, Dagoth Ur was still immensely powerful; he was for the majority of his existence, a living god after all. So we had to create a special containment area for him known as the Forbidden Zone, to prevent him from escaping into the wider area of Hell." Goz explained.

"Trust us; Dagoth Ur is _not_ one to be trifled with." Mez warned. "Your old foes that caused so much trouble here are _nothing_ compared to him. There are very, very few beings in the entire universe that could be considered definitively stronger than Dagoth Ur."

"Oh, so this Dagoth is amongst the strongest mortals to have ever lived and we might have to go up against him eh?" Vegeta finally spoke- with his characteristic smirk. "I'm interested." He smirked, ever ready for a challenge.

"Ugh!" Rei grunted in annoyance with an enormous sweat drop.

"Hecate was somewhat of a disciple of Dagoths Ur's teachings, which did survive his demise. I suppose you'll have to find him to lift the Blight Curse that he placed on Sailor Saturn. If anyone knows his location, it's Dagoth Ur." Mez said.

"But, Dagoth Ur probably won't be willing to help you. He doesn't care for the world of mortals, regardless of what happens to it. Still, negotiation is your best bet. Do not even fathom fighting him." Goz warned.

"Where's the Forbidden Zone?" Rei sighed.

"We'll show you." Mez said and took to the sky with Goz. Rei and Vegeta followed.

* * *

"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" Sailor Venus shouted and sent her golden heart downward toward the enemy, cutting through three Numba. "This is hopeless…" She sighed when even more Numba appeared to replace the downed ones.

Screams of terror in the distance could be heard as the onslaught of Numba continued to approach Central City. The sole defenders of Earth were currently gathered at a narrow pass surrounded by woods on one side and a cliff that fell into a river on the other. It was an easily defensible position that Bulma, Luna, and Artemis expressly recommended.

"We'll never give up, Venus." Tuxedo Mask narrowed his eyes as more Numba approached their position. "Tuxedo La Smoking Bomber!" He called and shot a blast of energy from his hand, incinerating one of the Numba.

"Uh oh!" Sailor Mercury shouted while doing an area scan with her computer. Here comes a TON of them!"

"JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!"

"VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!"

"MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!"

"WORLD SHAKING!"

"DEEP SUBMERGE!"

"TUXEDO LA SMOKING BOMBER!"

All of the Sailor crew shouted at once and unleashed their attacks, while Krillin, 18, and Yamcha just yelled as they released their own energy blasts. A loud, crashing boom of colors resounded throughout the area as their attacks hit home. Trees were uprooted as the bright, rainbow shine of their combined attacks spread throughout the area, easily visible even though it was the height of daytime. It was rather beautiful, and the group of fighters got lost in its glow for a moment. The moment was interrupted by the sound of marching feet. Shadows of countless Numba appeared in the trees.

"Well, here they come again!" Uranus smirked and took out the Space Sword.

"I think it's getting kind of dull…" Neptune challenged.

"Is it?" Uranus smirked at Neptune. "Should we give it a try?"

"When we're alone." Neptune smirked back.

Their banter was interrupted by two shouts.

"TRI-BEAM HA!"

"SUPER DODON BLAST!"

Yellow and orange blasts of energy plowed into the advancing Numba, causing yet another colorful explosion. Two figures landed by the group, one was a tall man wearing a blue shirt with white pants and a cape. The other was a very short man, even shorter than Krillin, who looked somewhat like a mime and wore a cap and green shirt with a logo in the middle.

"Tien! Chiaotzu!" Krillin called out and smiled.

"Hey Krillin, I hardly recognize you with that head of hair!" Tien greeted.

"I knew you guys would show up!" Yamcha smiled.

"Of course." Chiaotzu smiled back.

"I don't know how much we can do but we'd be happy to lend a hand." Tien declared. "Looks like you've made some new friends as well! Hi there!" Tien greeted the Sailor Scouts, and a chorus of female voices, plus Tuxedo Mask greeted him back.

"Would you mind filling us in on what's been happening? We're a bit confused…" Chiaotzu trailed.

"Gradually." Krillin answered.

"I hate to break this little reunion up, but more Numba are on the way." Sailor Neptune interrupted and pointed toward the advancing line.

"HAAAAAHHHH!" Sailor Uranus shouted and rushed toward the nearest Numba, avoiding their energy and magic blasts and slamming the point of the Space Sword into one of their disgusting faces.

* * *

"Hmmm, that Sailor Uranus is quite the courageous one isn't she?" The Supreme Kai said as he looked at the battle through his crystal ball alongside Kibito and Goku.

"She's a bit abrasive though, I hope it doesn't get her killed." Goku furrowed his brow.

"Coming from a Saiyan that sounds nearly unbelievable." The Supreme Kai smiled. "But I'm inclined to agree."

"It looks like they're holding out fine so far. The addition of Tien and Chiaotzu can't hurt either." Kibito stated as he peered at the crystal ball.

"Yeah. It looks like the training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber really helped them out, but they still haven't run into the Sprite Sisters yet, or those mercenaries from Veneficus." Goku said.

Serena's eyes buckled as she heard the distant conversation between Goku and the Kais, ever fearful of her friends' safety.

"Serenity."

Her sapphire eyes shifted to her mother, who was sitting across from her.

"You need to concentrate and meditate on what you've learned. You'll never be able to control your powers to their full potential unless you do this and clear your mind."

"But…"

"I know your friends are in danger, but you have to strengthen yourself Serenity, otherwise you won't be able to help them."

Serena begrudgingly nodded, but all eyes turned toward the hill that Gohan stood on as they heard the Old Kai breath heavily.

"Whoo!" He sighed and plopped down on the ground.

Everyone stood up and faced the Kai; even Queen Serenity interrupted her daughter's training.

"Well…is it done?" Gohan asked nervously.

"The others could sure use Gohan's help!" Goku said.

"I told you, that was just the opening ceremony! It's only been five hours!" The Old Kai huffed. "Now we have to focus and fine-tune your power." He said to Gohan. "Sit down now, lad, and remain completely calm."

"All right…" Gohan said, still skeptical as he didn't feel much of anything. He sat down and positioned himself in a meditative posture.

The Old Kai positioned himself in front of Gohan and formed comic books out of thin air, which surprised the crowd. Old Kai opened one and began to laugh as he held out his hands in front of Gohan.

Gohan was annoyed as he slightly opened his eye to see what the Kai was doing, while the rest of the group was staring with widened eyes. Serena was the first to break the stare and peered over her shoulder toward the crystal ball.

* * *

The group of defenders had to move about more as the Numba attacks were becoming more vicious.

"Uh oh, I'm sensing a more significant power approaching!" Tien said as he dodged the blast of a Numba and responded with one of his own.

Only a few seconds later, the true form of Charybdis emerged, her blue body standing in contrast to the Numba's brown-red.

"This is my division! You deal with me now!" She bellowed.

"Guys, I'm seeing that the force has split!" Ami called, analyzing the scene with her computer. "Other divisions have figured out to simply march or fly around our defense line and are heading straight for the city!"

"That's right!" Charybdis cackled. "I'll now deal with you once and for all!"

"Deep Submerge!" Neptune shouted and released her attack at the Sprite, but Scylla absorbed it through her whirlpool mouth, spun on her heels and fired it right at Chiaotzu.

"WOAH!" The dwarf shouted and flailed, only dodging the blast at the last moment.

"Chiaotzu!" Tien called.

"I'm fine!" He assured. "We're really back in the fire now, aren't we?" He asked with a smirk.

"Listen, all of you guys! Retreat to the city!" Uranus ordered. "Warn everyone to get out! We won't be far behind you!"

"What about you guys?" Yamcha asked.

"We'll hold her and the rest of this force off!" Neptune answered.

"By yourselves? That's crazy!" Krillin objected.

"Trust us!" Uranus called.

"I think it's time we showed an example for everyone!" Neptune whispered.

"Yes, you're right." Uranus whispered back.

"You Sailor Brats are crazier each time I see you!" Charybdis taunted.

Both Uranus and Neptune laughed and held out their arms, Neptune on the left and Uranus on the right.

"FUUUUU!" They shouted and came closer. "SION!" They pivoted their legs and arms. "HAAAA!" The shouted and joined their fingers.

Everyone was startled as a bright blue-orange flash surrounded their bodies. A second later a new Sailor Scout emerged. She was as tall as Sailor Uranus and wore her boots and bow, while wearing the skirt collar, and gloves of Neptune. Her face looked more like Sailor Neptune's than Uranus,' but her eyes were the dark green of Uranus. Her hair was Sailor Uranus' color, but Neptune's length, though it was not as wavy.

"Born from the Legacy of Goku." Her dual voice sounded. "The Soldier that fights with the ease of the wind and the fluidity of the sea, I am Sailor Nepturanus! And I have arrived!"

"WOW, IT WORKED!" Lita shouted, her eyes lighting up.

"You feel that?" Darien smirked. "She's far more powerful than either of them alone, or even together!"

"It's a fusion alright!" Krillin said in joy.

"Whoa…" Tien trailed, still new to the events.

"What's this!" Charybdis shouted in surprise.

"All of you go now!" Sailor Nepturanus ordered, her hard green eyes peering at the others. "I will take care of these pests!"

"Roger that!" Krillin saluted with a smile. "Let's get going everyone!"

"Hey! I say who gets to leave!" Charybdis huffed.

Sailor Nepturanus gathered blue-orange energy in her hand, the beams flying out between her fingertips.

"DEEP!" She shouted and turned around as wind and waves blew around her. "SHAKING!" She shouted and pounded the ground. A blue-orange orb barreled toward Charybdis, with an orange tail and accompanying blue waves.

"AACKK!" Charybdis grunted when she was hit by the attack, causing her to fly back into a tree and painfully bump her head.

"Go now!" The fused Scout ordered.

"Roger that, retreating now!" Yamcha complied and took to the sky, followed by the others.

All of them sent out one final volley of their attacks toward the Numba line, causing explosions and groans of pain.

Sailor Nepturanus gritted her teeth and rushed toward her enemy, drawing the Space Sword. With all the agility of her constituents, Sailor Nepturanus jumped and stuck her sword down the wailing Charybdis' throat, causing her to choke up blood.

"AAAAHHHHHH!" She wailed in pain.

"Space Sword Blaster!" Nepturanus shouted and cut her body apart from the inside. A mess of blood and guts lay at the fused Scout's feet as the remaining Numba buckled in fear- even in their upgraded forms. She held up the Deep Aqua Mirror. "Submarine Reflection!" She shouted and the blue beams incinerated the nearest groups of Numba.

Sailor Neptruanus' hair blew in the wind as she attached the bottom of the Deep Aqua Mirror to the bottom of the Space Sword, the two Talismans fusing together with a blue flash.

"SPACE…" She shouted, flailing her right arm which held the weapon. "SUBMARINE…" She began to turn. "SWORD REFLECTION BLAST!" She shouted and unleashed a torrent of blue beams and shining curved blasts that emitted from the parts of the new weapon.

"ACCCKK!"

"AHHH!"

"ARGHHLL!"

All of the Numba screamed as Sailor Nepturanus circled 360 degrees, killing them all with the attack.

The fused Scout looked at the carnage she'd caused in triumph, smirking at Charybdis' body parts. She heard an approaching group of Numba in the distance, but knew she did all she could there.

"Time to rejoin the gang." She smirked and took to the sky.

* * *

**+1 Point to anyone who knows where Dagoth Ur is from.**


	24. Dancing As We Fought the Crowd

**MOAR SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION!**

**Are you a 007 fan? Care to see who would win in a battle to the death between Sean Connery and Daniel Craig? Or how about the outcome in a fight between the Prince of Persia and Link from the Legend of Zelda? Then check this out: **

**http: .com /watch?v=22zJS76aU4c (Sean Connery James Bond vs Daniel Craig James Bond)**

**http:/ .com/ watch?v=22zJS76aU4c (Prince of Persia vs Link)**

**My friends and I had fun and put some effort into this so if you watch it please leave some feedback. (There's even a funny DBZ/SM outtake at the end of episode 3.) Now on to your regularly scheduled programming…**

**

* * *

**

"So, this is Wilusia…" Hotaru said as she took a look around.

"Long empty space of open field, not a town in sight!" Trunks stated. "Where do we go from here?"

"This isn't much of an urban society." Trista explained. "Wilusia is an agricultural civilization of landed estates, with a few great cities of course. There are two civilizations that inhabit this planet, Elves and Orcs. Forgive the classic fantasy pun, but they have been in conflict, either overtly, or covertly, for many years, and neither side can be said to be truly good or evil."

"Then why are we fighting?" Goten asked.

"According to Grand Elder Moori, Ironside's army has been besieging Dame Lyoness' land for a while. That isn't very nice now is it?" Trista asked sarcastically as Goten goofily smiled.

Piccolo picked through his cape and found the map that Elder Moori gave him, detailing specifics on each of the remaining five pieces of the Tyrant's Bane. "Her lands are West North West. I sense elevated power levels in that direction anyway."

"This is a culture that prides itself on single combat." Trista explained. "That should help us. Hotaru, Piccolo, and I will fight the three assistants." Trista planned. "Trunks and Goten, you should fuse into Gotenks to fight Ironside. You should have more than enough power to defeat him that way."

"Right!" They both said at once with a nod.

Rini's eyes drooped as she heard Trista and Piccolo making the plans.

"What's the matter Small Lady?" Trista asked.

"Nothing!" She answered with a smile. "Let's get going!"

"…Alright." Trista trailed with a faint frown, knowing that something was amiss.

The group of six took off, following Piccolo.

"We're to do battle with the Black Knight, Sir Claudas first." The Namek explained. "His camp isn't far."

"I sense him." Trista said. "If the rest of you don't mind, I'd like to take this fight."

"No problem." Piccolo agreed. "Just make sure you don't die." He smirked at her.

Trista only smirked back as they sped up in the sky.

"Look!" Rini pointed. "I see the camp!"

"We should land in front of the coolest looking dwelling. This Sir Claudas guy must be the leader of this force." Trunks observed.

"Hey! There's a guy in black armor! And it looks like he's yelling at some girl!"

Trista frowned. "I'll show him not to harass a lady!"

All six adventurers frowned as they landed right in the center of the confrontation, taking no heed of the armed soldiers twitching to attack the strange group with their weapons.

"Hey you!" Rini frowned. "Stop this right now!"

The large figure in black armor laughed out loud and shoved the woman down. He opened his visor to reveal that he was an Orc, and one with pointy fangs. The group looked around to see that all the soldiers were Orcs, while the harassed woman was an Elf.

"And who's going to stop me? I am Sir Claudas, commander of the Fourth Division and badass extraordinaire!" He tooted in triumph. "This woman came to plead her sister's lands, but I ain't having any of that! Now let me ask you this. What are four little kids, a woman, and a Namek doing here any way?"

"We've come to stop you from destroying Lyoness' lands!" Hotaru frowned.

Claudas lit up in laughter, along with his men.

The Elf woman frowned. "What makes you think that you can stop them? Our best warriors have tried and failed to beat Claudas, let alone Ironside!" She hissed.

"Shut up!" Claudas said and kicked at the Elf. "I don't need you extolling my combat prowess!"

"Sir Claudas, I challenge you to a Trial By Combat." Sailor Pluto frowned and stepped forward. "Do you accept?" She asked the last bit while clicking the Garnet Rod into her left hand, holding it in a combat stance.

Claudas continued to laugh out loud. "A _woman_ challenging me to a Trial By Combat! Why would I even waste my time and acknowledge you!" He bellowed.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Chibi Moon shouted in annoyance. "Are you afraid!" She continued to goad. "You must be afraid!"

"Shut up you little pest!" Claudas barked. "Your voice is irritating!"

"Well I won't until you fight Puu!" Chibi Moon declared. "You're scared aren't you? Ha ha ha ha ha HA!"

"ENOUGH!" Caludas declared as Pluto had a hard time keeping in her laughter. "I'll fight this wench!" He gritted and pointed to Pluto, who had not dropped her stance. "And then I'll kill you and eat your flesh off your bones!" He growled.

Sailor Chibi Moon backtracked and sweat dropped.

The soldiers all crowded around, putting their weapons at ease to watch the fight with the strange green-haired woman that had appeared out of the blue.

"I assume you know how this works." Sir Claudas growled as he placed his visor back down.

"No interference from any allies, and fight until one party either yields or dies." Pluto declared.

"Good." Claudas smirked under his visor. "And trust me, I'll kill you, and then it's on to that pink-haired brat!" He barked and readied his war maul.

"If you touch Small Lady I'll tear open every part of your body!" Pluto gritted, showing a display of aggression.

"Your overconfidence will be your DOWNFALL!" Sir Claudas yelled as he rushed toward Pluto, running incredibly fast despite the weight of his armor and weapon.

Pluto frowned and readied the Garnet Rod as mist flew out of it. "Dead Scream." She stated calmly. Purple bolts erupted from the top of Pluto's weapon, followed by a purple ball. Sailor Pluto turned around and unleashed the purple blast.

"Wha…AHHH!" Sir Claudas screamed as the blast struck him dead center. He flew back and collided painfully with the ground. He slid back to his tent, leaving a small ditch along the way. He growled and slowly raised his head to look at his opponent.

"Have you had enough?" Pluto asked calmly as mutters of disbelief erupted from Claudas' troops. The bottom of the Garnet Rod touched the ground, indicating she was no longer in a combat stance.

"Ok bitch…so you're stronger than you look." He growled and got up, regaining his combat stance. "But YOU'RE STILL DEAD!"

Pluto frowned in anticipation and readied her weapon again. She charged another _Dead Scream_ when to her surprise, she saw Claudas jump high in the air. The Orc laughed as he landed right in front of Sailor Pluto and swung his maul. Pluto instinctively raised the Garnet Rod to block his blow, and a struggle ensued between the two combatants. Sailor Pluto was soon overpowered by the much larger Orc however, and he sent her weapon tumbling away.

"Surprise!" Claudas smirked in triumph under his helmet and raised his maul to strike.

Pluto reacted and hovered away quickly, giving the Orc a surprise of his own.

"You've got some quickness!" He smirked and then lunged through the air toward her at incredible speed.

Sailor Pluto frowned. She knew better than to try and play the strength game with Sir Claudas again. Instead, she flew toward him, catching him off guard, and veering right at the last second, bypassing Claudas' maul and kicking him in the temple.

The blow only slightly hurt Claudas, given his armor and massive frame, but it was enough for Sailor Pluto to speed behind him and reacquire the Garnet Rod.

"Bitch!" Sir Claudas growled and rushed toward Sailor Pluto, maul drawn.

Mist erupted from the Garnet Rod and around the Soldier of Time once again. "Dead Scream." She stated calmly and unleashed the attack, hitting Claudas again.

"GRAAA!" He shouted in pain as he fell back.

Sailor Pluto pulled the Garnet Orb off of the top of her weapon and charged it.

"Chronos Typhoon!" She shouted and sent a cyclone of energy toward her opponent.

"AHHHHHH!" Sir Claudas shouted in pain as the powerful energetic wind blew him back, making him lose his weapon. He collided painfully with the ground once again, and this time, Sailor Pluto pounced. She rushed toward him, placing one foot on his armored arm and the other on his chest, opening his visor. She pointed the bottom of the Garnet Rod right at his now exposed eye.

"You are beaten." Sailor Pluto nearly sneered, which surprised everyone in her party.

Screams, shouts, and gasps of disbelief filled the camp as Sir Claudas' troops were utterly dismayed in shock. A gasp escaped the Elven woman's mouth as her eyes widened in complete disbelief.

"Do you yield?" Sailor Pluto asked.

Sir Claudas coughed. "If I yield it will only mean humiliation!" He spat.

"If you die you'll still be humiliated." Pluto tried to reason. "You were beaten by a woman, but as you can see, I'm no ordinary one. And once we defeat Ironside, all meaning you found in this life of extortion will cease to be important. At least if you live, you can start over."

Sir Claudas growled intensely.

"Fine…" He snarled.

"Now, you will swear an oath bound by the Supreme Kai whom I _have met_." She made clear, eliciting shock from everyone around. "That you will be loyal to me, my party, and Dame Lyoness."

Claudas growled.

"Do you swear the oath?" Pluto frowned, driving the Garnet rod closer to the Orc's eye.

"I swear by the name of the Supreme Kai that I and all my troops will serve you, your companions, and Dame Lyoness." Claudas muttered in shame.

Pluto was satisfied and released her hold on her former opponent.

"What is it that you ask of me, my lady?" Sir Claudas asked with a bow.

"First, you and your troops are to cease your siege of these lands and return to your own."

The Elven woman widened her blue eyes as she heard Pluto talking.

"Second, you are to send a messenger to Lyoness professing your loyalty at once."

"Yes my lady…" Sir Claudas said with a bow, putting his maul in a submissive position.

"Let's go. We need to get to the next camp." Piccolo beckoned.

"Understood." Trista nodded and began to walk toward Piccolo as the soldiers frantically obeyed their new orders.

"WAIT!" The Elven woman erupted and ran toward them.

Goten and Trunks took a good look at her for the first time and both boys blushed as their pupils dilated in satisfaction.

"Wow…she's pretty isn't she Trunks?" Goten asked with a goofy smile, not taking his eyes off her.

"Yeah…!" Trunks smiled as well.

Rini narrowed her eyes and found herself gritting her teeth as she took a look at the Elf. She was tall and slender, with perfect curves in all the places they should be. She had long dark, silky hair akin to Rei's, tanned skin, and Jade colored eyes. Hotaru's voice interrupted her fuming.

"Are you alright?" The small girl asked the much taller Elven woman, looking up with her deep purple eyes and a smile.

"Wh…who are you…?" She trailed in disbelief as all of the Orc troops were by that point gone.

"The appropriate question is, who are you?" Piccolo countered, stepping forward.

"My name is Lynette." She introduced herself. "I couldn't help but notice this, but why are you fighting on my sister's behalf?"

"Sister?" All six travelers asked in surprise.

"Yes, of course Lyonesse is my sister. You must not be from this planet. Why do you desire to help her?"

"That's a long story Miss Lynette." Trista responded, and Lynette couldn't help but stare in awe at the woman that had beaten Sir Claudas with relative ease. "Soon enough it'll all be over, and I'm sure your sister will fill you in."

The group all nodded to one another and began to take to the sky.

"WAIT!" Lynette shouted. "Take me with you!"

"You'll only slow us down!" Piccolo huffed.

"But I can probably get you an audience with my sister faster if that is what you wish!" She called out.

Piccolo and Trista looked to one another, and after a few seconds of contemplation, nodded.

"Very well. You can come with us." The Namek agreed and went down to pick her up.

Lynette was nervous at being pulled into the air, and breathed heavily in Piccolo's ear as they all sped off.

"How come he gets to carry her?" Trunks muttered to Goten.

"Because we're not big enough I guess!" Goten answered.

Rini grumbled as they all continued their path.

* * *

"This is it…" Mez trailed in awe and fear at what lay on the other side of the structure he looked at. "This is the Ghostfence. Beyond the Ghostgate is Dagoth Ur's containment area, the Forbidden Zone."

"I feel a very evil presence here…" Rei trailed, never quite feeling something this intensely dark before, not even from Mordred.

"Oh, and were you expecting something warm and fuzzy?" Vegeta mocked.

Rei growled. Vegeta's sidedness was irritating her.

"Be extremely cautious in there…" Goz warned. "In addition to Dagoth Ur, you'll find some of his servants. Remember; don't try to fight Dagoth under any conditions. You need to persuade him to reveal Hecate's location to you. He can be spoken to. He envisions himself to be more sophisticated than most of the bad guys you've battled with in your lives."

"Open the gate." Rei resolutely ordered and kept her head high.

Goz and Mez opened the Ghostgate. The same intense darkness that Rei felt blew past her as wind from inside the restricted area, almost as if it was laughing. It was enough to give the Soldier of Flame goose bumps all over her body. She gasped when she saw Vegeta casually walk into the spooky area. She, Mez, and Goz looked on in disbelief as the eerie wind blew his hair backward and rustled his clothes.

"Sailor Mars…?" Goz and Mez both asked as Rei hesitated and then narrowed her eyes.

"I have to do this…" She muttered to herself. "For my Princess…for the universe!"

Rei boldly stepped through the shadowy gate, running into the barren Forbidden Zone in order to catch up with Vegeta. She heard a loud _thud_ as the gate slammed shut behind her.

* * *

"I see the camp!" Hotaru pointed as the travelers flew through the skies of Wilusia.

"Wait, Piccolo! You don't really plan on fighting Sir Turquine by yourself do you!" Lynette nearly screamed. "Compared to him, Claudas was nothing!"

The Namek narrowed his eyed as people began to become visible.

"It won't be a problem for Piccolo." Hotaru smiled at Lynette.

"Yeah, that guy's a wimp!" Trunks grinned as Goten enthusiastically nodded.

"Huh?" Lynette widened her eyes in shock, as she still didn't know much of anything about this strange group of people.

"Let's land!" Rini said as she saw that they were over the principal residence of the camp.

All of them landed again in the middle of the targeted encampment. The troops inside it immediately rushed toward the area to target the group of strangers. Word of Claudas' defeat had begun to reach them and they fumbled around in surprise.

"Oh would you line up you morons?" An Orc in green armor that was more ornate than the other soldiers boomed. He hefted his axe and growled at the group of intruders. "Lynette, I would have thought you'd try to pull something off!" He growled some more. "I'll defeat your champions, and then take care of you!"

Lynette was about to speak but Piccolo stepped in front of her.

"You'll fight me first." The Namek declared.

Turquine narrowed his eyes. "A person in a group that was able to defeat Claudas. I'll gain glory when I kill you." He said and pulled out a menacing axe.

Lynette looked on in shock as all the members of the strange group looked at their large green companion in complete confidence.

"GRRYAAA!" Turquine's voice rumbled as he charged forward. He swung his mighty axe and Piccolo could feel the _swish_ of the wind as it rumbled past him, but Turquine was stunned to find that his attack had completely missed. "Wha…?" Turquine looked at Piccolo in shock.

Piccolo responded by punching Sir Turquine in the stomach, causing him to fly back and crash land.

"WHA!" Everyone present except Piccolo's companions gasped in shock.

Piccolo only walked calmly toward the downed Orc, who was panting heavily.

"Do you give up?" He asked calmly.

"Why would I ever give up to a pest like you?" Sir Turquine growled and struggled up; blood was dripping from his mouth.

"Look, I don't have time for this." Piccolo grumbled. "I can easily end your life in an instant. I don't want to do this, but I won't pussyfoot around. Surrender now or die. It's up to you."

"Just give up!" Rini frowned. "You can't win!"

"Shut up you brat!" Sir Turquine roared.

"No! You're just a big bully and you can't deal with losing!" Rini spat.

"Silence you!" Sir Turquine spat. "I'll kill you for your insolence!" He growled and jumped into the air, making his way past Piccolo and rushing toward Rini.

Rini widened her eyes and she froze as the towering Orc rushed toward her.

"SMALL LADY!" Trista gasped and jumped toward her, but she was terrified that the Orc would probably beat her there.

Goten, Hotaru, and Trunks widened their eyes in a flash.

Piccolo grimaced and dematerialized, reappearing in front of the Orc.

"WHAT!" Sir Turquine widened his eyes.

"Mistake number one, never take your eyes off your opponent!" Piccolo yelled and kicked the Orc painfully in the stomach, sending him flying into the air. "Mistake number two, don't fight an opponent you can't beat!" Piccolo continued to shout as the soldiers stared in awe at their commander flailing about in the air. "SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!" Piccolo shouted and sent his signature attack toward Sir Turquine.

"GRAAAA!" He squealed in pain as the attack completely penetrated him, entering and exiting his torso at his center.

"Mistake number three, don't threaten my friends." The Namek grumbled as Sir Turquine's corpse smashed into the ground.

"Master Turquine!" One of his soldiers shouted in shock to see that their leader was dead.

Lynette gasped as this strange group shocked her once again. First Claudas and then Turquine- two of the strongest warriors on Wilusia swept away with ease!

"Listen up!" Piccolo boomed, eliciting everyone's attention. "By right of conquest I claim the title of commander of this army!" He declared, and all the soldiers saluted him in an air of fear. "And my first and only order is this- disband this operation, and report to our vassal Sir Claudas. You will cease all military operations against Lyoness and her estates, that is all!"

"SIR!" All of the Orcs saluted and rushed to follow their new orders.

"We've lingered here too long, let's go confront Sir Persant." Pluto referred to the third and final underling of Sir Ironside, the besieger of Lyoness.

"Let's go." Piccolo agreed, saying nothing to the still stunned Lynette, only picking her up and taking off along with the others.

"It's my turn next…" Hotaru said with determined eyes.

"What!" Lynette shouted. "You're just a little girl!"

"Judging from what I've seen, this shouldn't be problematic." Hotaru answered the Elf with a smile.

"But Persant is _leagues_ above Claudas and Turquine!"

"Don't worry, Hotaru will be just fine!" Rini assured, knowing that if her best friend could fight against Super Saiyans, as she did at the tournament, these Orcs would be no problem.

"…" Lynette was at a loss for words as they all flew.

* * *

Amara and Michelle stood and watched as dark clouds began to move in along with the setting sun. Thunder could be heard in the background.

"Fitting that it's going to rain." Michelle said with no emotion as she felt the sea rise.

"The wind is signifying battle, desperate battle." Her lover continued.

The group of defenders was facing the direction that the Numba army approached from. They all knew that the army could outmaneuver them, but they resolved to deal with that when the time came.

"We've gotten everyone out that we could." Tien reported. "For once it's actually been helpful that the attacks were reported on the news."

"Agreed." Amara said to him.

"I wonder though…" Krillin trailed.

"What's up?" Lita asked.

"Everyone around must have been in a state of absolute terror because of those things. Bashgal can only be strengthening because of that."

"Hmmm…" Mina tried to think.

"I guess all we can hope for is that Hotaru is close to getting the Tyrant's Bane. Until then, all we can do is try to hold them off for as long as possible." Darien answered.

A moment of silence fell across the eleven-member team as twilight came and the storm clouds continued to roll in. They all jolted their eyes when they sensed something.

"I sense four powers approaching!" Yamcha spoke for all of them.

"But who could they be?" Chiaotzu asked.

"They're too big to be Numba!" Lita said. "Could they be more enemies?"

"They don't feel evil…" Ami declared as she analyzed with her computer. "And they're too small to be on par with Mordred's chief underlings."

18 stared into the distance with her usual sarcastic calmness, but was a bit surprised at who she saw emerge from the shadows. They were four girls around the age of twelve, dressed in sailor outfits like her companions. All of them had hair in odd styles. One had green hair, another pink, another red, and the last one had very light blue hair.

"Hi!" The one with blue hair cheered and waved.

"PallaPalla…?" Mina asked in surprise.

"The Amazoness Quartet?" Lita asked in equal surprise.

"Bet you didn't expect to see us again did you?" The one with green hair asked.

"Who the hell are you?" Amara asked suspiciously.

All four of the girls were taken aback by her harsh tone and sweat dropped.

"We met them during our fight with Nehelenia." Ami explained. "They were enemies but then turned against Nehelenia and helped us win!"

"That's right we did!" The one with red hair said. "I'm VesVes, that's JunJun, CereCere, and PallaPalla."

"We also found out that we're Sailor Soldiers a short time ago." CereCere said. "We're to be the guardians of Sailor Mini Moon in the future. We've seen in our dreams what's been happening and we came here to help!"

"Where is Mini Moon anyway?" JunJun asked.

"Not here…" Mina answered, still surprised. "But, you can help us take out these guys!"

"We definitely will Sailor Venus!" CereCere smiled. "Besides, we still owe you for what we did to you guys in the past!"

After a few more minutes of introductions and explanation, silence befell all once again as the heavens began to open up.

"I hear them." Michelle frowned as she heard distant footsteps.

"I'm scared!" PallaPalla wailed.

"Then leave now." 18 frowned. "We don't need more crybabies like you around. Sailor Moon was bad enough."

"Hey!" PallaPalla wailed.

"We'll prove ourselves." JunJun smiled. "You have our word as the Sailor Quartet!"

Shadows and dust became visible through the rain, along with roars.

"Here they come." Amara stated and grabbed her sword.

"Everyone get ready for combat!" Tien shouted.

The now enlarged group of fifteen prepared themselves with frowns on their faces.

* * *

"Sailor Quartet…?" Serena trailed in curiosity as she gazed down at the crystal ball. "Supreme Kai, did you…?"

The Supreme Kai smiled at her.

"Let's hope they can help!" Goku smiled as he watched, along with Queen Serenity and Kibito beside him.

"This will be the most important action on Earth so far." Queen Serenity stated. "This is Mordred's attempt to extract pain and fear on an industrial scale, it must be blunted there!"

Serena's eyes shook in worry. She desperately wanted to help.

"So it begins…" The Supreme Kai said.

Gohan overheard them all, and turned back to his 'master' to see that the Old Kai was once again laughing at comic books while still putting his hands outward toward Gohan.

"OH! AHAHAH! HAH HAH!"

"Rrrrr!" He growled in annoyance.

* * *

**Sorry if this update took a little while. I've been busy working on Deadliest Fictional Warrior. School is also about to start, so expect the wait times to be a bit longer. I'm also toying with the idea of a SM/Bastard! crossover that has a much darker and more dystopian theme than this story. So let me know what you think of that.**

**Also, check me out on Tumblr: http: /guardofliberty. /**


	25. The Shackles of Commitment

The six companions sped through the air, with Piccolo holding on to Lynette, and they quickly saw a camp. This time however, the news of Claudas and Turquine's defeat had been well absorbed, and the troops of Orcs were prepared for the new arrivals.

Lynette's blue eyes widened in fear when she saw several bolts of energy surge upward toward her and the strange group of adventurers.

"Silent Wall!" Saturn shouted.

Lynette was stunned when the little black-haired girl raised her huge weapon and created an energy wall that not only blocked the attacks, but completely disintegrated them. The little girl, for her part, did not look the least bit fatigued from the maneuver. Lynette's eyes widened and she gasped again when she felt herself dropping to the ground in the Namek known as Piccolo's arms.

The Orc soldiers quickly rushed toward the intruders, halberds, spears, and swords drawn. Others were readying artillery pieces packed full of hot, dense energy bombs.

Hotaru stepped forward, caring not about the threats. "Where is your commander?" She demanded.

"Hmph." A confident smirk sounded out from the crowd.

Hotaru and the others looked up to see a chiseled, confident face looking down upon them from atop a rock. He wore blue plate armor and carried a halberd.

"Master Persant!" The troops cheered.

He frowned and locked eyes with Hotaru. He did not need to verbalize to know that the girl was challenging him.

"Puny girl." He stated coldly and jumped down in front of her.

Hotaru looked up at the Orc, who towered over her. At best, the top of her head came up to his groin.

"Wait! You don't really plan on fighting him do you?" Lynette called out in utmost concern for the girl.

"She'll be fine." Trunks smirked and crossed his arms.

"Yeah, if my senses are right, this guy's gonna go down fast!" Goten followed.

Lynette looked on with her eyes buckling in confusion.

"RAAHHHH!" Sir Persant called out in a war cry and swung his halberd with intense speed.

Hotaru could feel the vibrations in the air from the power of the Orc's swing, but she levitated back a few feet to dodge it.

"Heh. You're quick." He grinned.

Saturn only frowned, readying her glaive for the next round.

"But not quick ENOUGH!" Sir Persant shouted with a smile and levitated a few inches off the ground, rushing toward Saturn.

Sailor Saturn gasped as Persant zoomed toward her.

"WHIRLFORCE!" The Orc shouted as he twirled his halberd.

Saturn's big purple eyes widened as she felt an invisible vortex rush out of Persant's halberd and hit her.

"AHHH!" Sailor Saturn screeched as she flailed about in the air.

Audible _rips_ and _cuts_ could be heard as the magical wind cut through her clothes and skin, leaving a trail of blood in their wake. The attack was finished off by a swirling torrent that rocketed Saturn high in the air, spinning her around at high speed. She yelped and crashed to the ground.

"Hah!" Persant smirked. He placed his halberd in another attack position and sped toward the fallen Saturn. "RAAAAHAHAHAH!" He roared in laughter. "Time to finish you off!"

Lynette gasped in fear at seeing the pain on the little girl's face. Piccolo grimaced- he knew those feelings would only help to release Bashgal. Damn, he thought, he could only imagine what must be going on on Earth at that moment. How were the others doing…?

"Relax." He finally said to Lynette. "Hotaru was surprised, but only received a few scratches, she won't be hurt."

"Silence Buster!" Saturn's voice called out, giving credence to the Namek's words.

Sir Persant widened his eyes under his helmet's visor when he saw a bright blue spiral erupt out of the girl's glaive. Persant was surprised, and worse, he could not do anything to avoid the attack.

"AHHH!" The Orc screamed when the spiral inevitably hit him.

The blue energy easily shattered through his armor and sent him flying back. Sir Persant landed flat on his ass, the noise of his halberd clattering to the ground was the thing that broke his soldiers' shock.

Lynette was stunned. "H…h…"

"Hotaru is possibly the ultimate example of being stronger than you look." Piccolo immediately answered her with a smirk.

"And that was one of her weaker attacks." Trista said without taking her eyes off of Saturn, who slowly and methodically stood to her feet, moving the Silence Glaive into an offensive position.

The cheerful laughter of the other children interrupted Lynette's stare. To her astonishment they didn't look worried at all.

"Agh!" Sir Persant rose, rubbing his in-pain head. "Damn kid!" He growled and grabbed his halberd. "So…you're not as weak as you look."

Sailor Saturn spoke no words and only readied her glaive.

"So eager to fight are we?" Persant laughed. "Your head will be a fine addition to my wall!"

"…We don't have time for this…" Saturn trailed to herself, realizing that she couldn't wait to react to one of this Orc's moves. She had friends out there fighting…possibly even dying, right at that very moment! All of them were depending on her to bring back the Tyrant's Bane, hoping that her power amplified by that sword would be enough to defeat Mordred. All of their hopes were resting on _her_!

Sir Persant was surprised when his little opponent raised her weapon- which was absurdly long in comparison with her rather small body.

"I don't have time for this trivial fight." The black-haired girl announced, enraging Persant. "Sir Persant, you must surrender now or I will completely wipe you from the face of this universe."

"Puh!" Persant noised in surprised amusement. "You might be stronger than you look kid, but if you seriously think you're winning here then you've got another thing coming!"

Sir Persant picked up his halberd and pointed it at Saturn. He roared and chanted something, then pivoted his hips, releasing a blue wave of pressurized energy that would crush anything in its path. The move had never failed Persant before, but to his utter horror, it dispelled with a dull _whoosh_ against an invisible barrier that formed around the girl he targeted.

"Fine. I'LL JUST CRUSH YOU WITH MY BARE HANDS!" The Orc roared and rushed forward.

Hotaru narrowed her eyes. "Silence Glaive Surprise!" She called out, stopping the Orc dead in his tracks and stunning everyone around as the huge purple-white ball of energy formed on the blade of the small girl's weapon. And in a silent flash as she lowered the glaive, a huge explosion erupted in a large radius all around.

"GAHHHH!" Sir Persant shouted as he felt himself being incinerated by the bang.

A wail of other cries could be heard in the camp as those pitiful souls that had strayed too near to the fight had likewise been vaporized.

Sailor Saturn's companions, knowing the girl well, had opted to lift into the air and remain some distance away as she executed the move.

"…Am I dreaming…?" Lynette trailed as her hair blew from the force of the huge explosion.

When it finally died down, an unharmed Sailor Saturn was visible at the center of the epicenter, along with many downed and wounded Orcs. Sir Persant and the other soldiers nearest to the blast had disappeared completely.

"Hahahhah! Yeah!" Goten cheered.

"Hotaru doesn't mess around." Trunks smirked in confidence and approval.

Without another word, the six companions landed behind Hotaru. As the dust settled and the troopers were beginning to comprehend what had just taken place, the girl began to speak.

"I claim command over this army by right of conquest!" She declared.

The Orcs were terrified of the little girl. All of them could not shake nervous twitches out of their eyes and faces as they haphazardly nodded at her commanding voice.

"I order you to report back to Sir Claudas and proclaim loyalty to Dame Lyoness, you will no longer hold siege over her lands. If any of you violate these orders, I'll be back." She warned at the end.

The Orcs all yelped and staggered back, quickly following the mysterious girl's orders.

"Great job Hotaru!" Rini rushed toward her friend with a huge smile on her face. "Only one more to go!"

Hotaru smiled at Rini, looking down into her best friend's eyes.

"Let's get going."

Hotaru's smile remained as she looked at Piccolo and nodded at the much taller Namek.

"Ironside's camp shouldn't be much further from here." Trista called out as the six sped off from the wrecked camp of Sir Persant, a stunned Lynette clutching onto Piccolo.

"Yeah! And it's our turn next!" Trunks pumped his fists, ready for some action.

"It'll be great fun!" Goten followed.

"What!" Lynette gasped. "You must be crazy! They're little boys! Ironside is the most powerful warrior on this planet!"

"Don't worry!" Rini smiled. "They've got a special trick. He'll never see it coming!" She mischievously smirked at the boys.

"But this time, do us a favor and go Super Saiyan _beforehand_." Hotaru said sarcastically, remembering their antics back at Ismara.

"No worries!" Trunks smirked.

"We'll get this done without issue!" Goten smiled.

"You better." Piccolo grunted.

"_This is like some kind of wackyland where every step you take just gets more and more weird!_" Lynette thought in exasperation as she sped toward the feared Sir Ironside.

* * *

"HYAH!" Sailor Uranus grunted in a fierce war cry as she sliced a Numba cleanly in half in a vertical stroke with her Space Sword. Its blood splashed a few droplets on her face, but Uranus was more than used to that already.

"Wow…" Sailor Pallas trailed in shock upon seeing yet another one fall down before the mighty Uranus. "_She's incredible!_" Pallas admired. "_That thing was seven feet tall, not counting its horns, and she took the beast head-on!_" "How many was that for you?" She finally talked.

"That's her sixty-third."

Pallas turned around with a start to see a smirking Sailor Neptune standing atop a piece of debris.

"That doesn't count the amount we killed when we were fused, however." She made clear.

"Don't you dare take Charybdis away from me." Uranus smirked, as there was somewhat of a lull in the Numba at the position.

"Sailor Nepturanus killed Charybdis." Neptune reminded.

"How many have you got, Sailor Neptune?" Sailor Pallas asked.

"I just took out my sixty-fourth." She smirked more at Uranus than Pallas.

"I'm not letting you outscore me, Michelle." Uranus challenged.

"SUBMARINE REFLECTION!" Neptune suddenly shouted out and released an all-direction beam that incinerated seven more incoming Numba.

"WORLD…SHAKING!" Sailor Uranus shouted and unleashed her orange orb, which smashed through a pile of seven Numba in its own right, blasting them to smithereens.

"You're still one behind." Neptune challenged.

"We'll see." Sailor Uranus smiled back.

"Why don't you guys fuse?" Sailor Pallas asked, curious about what she had been told of the technique.

"We need to save it for a strategic situation. It only lasts for thirty minutes and then has a thirty minute cool-off period. We can't just use it indiscriminately." Neptune informed.

Sailor Pallas nodded, absorbing the information.

"Here they come again!" Uranus growled as she watched a square of the creatures march toward them.

"Watch out!" Pallas squeaked when she saw a group of three Numba flying right toward the trio, grisly and bloody smirks on their faces. "JUNGLE ARROWS!" She shouted and released bolts of green energy at the three Numba, bringing them all down at once.

"You'll be alright kid." Uranus smirked.

"Amara."

Sailor Uranus looked up toward her lover as the Numba square continued to close in.

"I think you need to wash your face." Neptune teased.

The Soldier of Sky smirked at it. Her face was already smeared with blood. Surely there'd be more soon enough.

* * *

"Crescent Beam Shower!" Sailor Venus said and shot a flurry of yellow beams from her finger, piercing six Numba straight through the center of their bodies, making them all crash to the ground in death.

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!" The Soldier of Thunder shouted and pierced holes in another square of the creatures.

"Well, everyone seems to be doing alright so far!" Venus said in her usual fun voice.

"Our defenses haven't been breached…so far." Jupiter narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, everyone seems to be holding their own, despite the fact that we're spread out through the city." Mercury chimed in, analyzing enemy movements with her computer, which was proving to be invaluable so far.

Sailor Juno looked up toward the older Sailor Soldiers, trying to find some guidance.

"Overwhelming isn't it?" Sailor Mercury motioned toward the new soldier. "To be thrust into a battle so fast."

"Yes…but I'm glad to be able to help you guys!" She answered.

"I wonder though…how did you know all that was going on?"

"I don't know." The green-haired girl answered. "We all just awoke as Sailor Soldiers and saw it in our dreams."

"Hmmm…I'm sure the Supreme Kai must have been pulling some strings." Mercury settled on an answer. "Wherever he is, he and Queen Serenity must be carefully planning things out."

"And Serena is there…" Venus trailed. "We have to fight well for her!"

All three of them got determined looks on their faces and in their eyes.

Sailor Juno wondered how she could measure up to the experienced Sailor Soldiers, when suddenly a group of Numba charged at them, full of hideous laughter. The older girls gasped and haphazardly readied their attacks, but Juno was already ready.

"FREEZING KISS!" She shouted and blew something into her hand, then threw whatever it was.

The three older Scouts widened their eyes when a hazy blue mist covered the squad of Numba, instantly freezing them. The younger girl strolled over and casually shattered the frozen Numba, smashing them to pieces on the ground. They soon melted.

"Hah." Jupiter laughed. "Glad to have you around."

"Thanks!" Juno replied gratefully.

* * *

"FREEZING KISS!" Sailor Vesta shouted.

"JUNGLE ARROWS!" Sailor Ceres followed up.

In a flash, a squad of Numba was frozen and then shattered by the combined attacks. After the maneuvers, both of the new recruits looked up to see Tuxedo Mask- the future king, smiling down at them.

"Nice job. You'll make great warriors yet!" He complimented.

"Thank you sir." Sailor Ceres smiled.

"Look, there come some more!" Sailor Vesta erupted and charged forward, readying to attack the squad. The new Sailor Scout quickly gasped when she saw a smiling Numba with its claws drawn flying right at her, ready to take her head off.

"GAH!" Vesta backtracked and widened her red eyes.

A pink attack blasted into the attacker, making him explode in a pool of blood and guts.

The young girl was taken out of her shock after she saw a blonde-haired woman flying in front of her face veering right and then ascending in the air. 18 proceeded to unleash a rapid-fire flurry of pink orbs, exploding an entire square of the gross creatures by herself. 18 was followed up by the short man named Krillin, who Vesta had learned, was her husband, who sliced a line of three of them with the technique that he called 'Destructo Disk.' Indeed, the husband and wife duo was quite formidable, with obvious years of combat experience. 18, she'd learned from Sailors Uranus and Neptune, was the one with the most raw power of any one of them. She also had an inexhaustible field of energy, and it was easy to see why. 18 was currently the kill leader of the group, and she looked none worse for wear. It was easy for Vesta to see why she'd been implored by the other Sailor Soldiers to be part of the squad accompanying the future king.

"Wow, nice one 18!" She cheered.

For her part, the android only coldly acknowledged her with her ice blue eyes.

"You guys are doing great so far!" Krillin encouraged.

* * *

"No, everything's fine on our end." Yamcha stated from the air to Sailor Uranus. He'd flown over the short distance to deliver his status report. "In fact, I haven't heard of a breach anywhere in our positions. Tien, Chiaotzu, and I are doing fine."

"Great." The Soldier of Sky smiled, she then widened her eyes when an incoming Numba was exploded by a yellow blast.

"Consider it a going away present." Yamcha smirked. "See you in a few!"

And with that, he sped off back toward his position.

Sailor Pallas gasped when she saw even more Numba approaching.

"Even more?" She whined.

"Well…at least it's not boring." Sailor Neptune smirked.

"Is this it?" Uranus' eyes danced. "Is this all you can bring us, Mordred?"

* * *

"My mistress." A shadowy voice sounded out behind an armored, long-haired female.

A pair of white eyes darted toward the voice.

"The Numba need supplementation…they're dropping like flies."

"Yes…even though they've strengthened significantly, without Lord Bashgal around, they're still not quite up to par, but I don't get how this planet's Sailor Soldiers and their allies have become significantly more powerful than my reports say- even without the Saiyans in their midst."

"I don't understand this at all!" The voice responded. "Believing this pitiful band could take on upgraded Numba in such numbers is bad enough- but hearing that Saiyans are still alive is something else entirely!"

"The fog of war is always present, my dear Betelgu." The female responded with a smirk.

"At any rate…" The voice, identified as Betelgu sounded out. "Our troops desire combat; it's time to send them in!"

"Yes, send in the first two battalions, five hundred men." She ordered.

"But Sailor Veneficus!"

The Starchild warrior, now identified as Sailor Veneficus, turned her head and peered into the eyes of Medusa, Scylla, and Chimera, all in human form.

"Those bimbos killed our sister!" Medusa seethed. "I want them dead!"

"I didn't ask you." Veneficus retorted coldy.

"We're going!" Chimera followed.

"Last I knew, Master Mordred put me in charge of this army, did he not?" She continued.

"But Mistress Veneficus…"

"Very well Scylla. I will allow Medusa to venture forth with the first two battalions. She will supplement them. Do turn any of the men you encounter into stone."

Medusa cackled and took off to join the squads of mercenaries that were beginning to move in.

"Let's see how they deal with this!" Betelgu said in confidence.

Sailor Veneficus turned her grey-blue face toward the city with a confident smile of her own.

* * *

A figure in gleaming red armor smirked as he watched Lynette land with the mystery group of adventurers. A devilish look was in his blue eyes as his lengthy blonde hair blew behind him.

"Excuse me." Piccolo walked up toward him. "Where is Sir Ironside?"

"I am he." Ironside's eyes lit up in a sneer.

"But you're an Elf…" Rini trailed in curiosity.

"Perceptive brat you've got there, Namek." His sneer continued. "Lynette, I'll kill you for this. You've interfered in my affairs for the last time."

Lynette gasped and quaked in fear.

Trista looked at the surrounding countryside. There it was- Lyonesses' castle. In fact, she could make out a face staring at them from out the top window of one of the towers. She redirected her gaze toward Ironside. He was an Elf, as Rini pointed out, taller than she was, around six feet, and very handsome indeed. She knew that the Inners (barring Ami of course) would be swooning.

"We're not gonna let you hurt any pretty girls when we're around!" Trunks grinned and stepped forward.

"Yeah, we'll beat you into the ground for everything you've done!" Goten followed.

"Hey…!" Rini grumbled.

Sir Ironside smirked confidently. "Really?" He mocked and picked up his recurved longbow. He continued to laugh and drew two arrows into the bow, both of them glowed a bright blue.

"GOTEN! TRUNKS! WATCH OUT!" Lynette screamed.

The two boys looked curiously at her when Sir Ironside released his payload. In a flash, the arrows collided with the ground nearby, causing blue explosions near the two half-Saiyan boys.

"Heheh!" Sir Ironside laughed and took to the sky quickly.

"He's fast!" Piccolo grunted as he got into a position to shoot down at the two boys.

"Now die you brats!" The Elf shouted in the air triumphantly, putting two more arrows into his bow at different angles to shoot in the direction that he wanted.

"Trunks!" Goten shouted and rushed over to his friend. "Let's hurry this up!"

"Right!" Trunks shouted.

"FUUUU…SION…!" They chanted and did the dance.

"HERE THEY COME YOU BRATS!" Ironside grinned.

"HAAAAAAAAA!" They finished and joined their index fingers just as the arrows struck the area.

"Wait! They weren't Super Saiyans!" Trista widened her eyes, not worried about the attacks as she knew the arrows weren't powerful enough to kill them.

In a flash, a golden light surrounded the area and instantly cleared the smoke, revealing Gotenks in Super Saiyan glory.

"Hah." Hotaru smiled. "Looks like they can turn Super Saiyan in their fused form."

"What's this?" Sir Ironside wondered. "Where did the other two go?"

"They're me." Gotenks smirked and casually took to the sky.

"What…what is this…?" Lynette was at a loss for words.

"Ironside will not be a problem for you or your sister any longer." Trista smiled warmly.

Lynette looked up toward the tower of her sister's castle and then to the new boy, who appeared to literally be on fire.

"Alright…cute." Sir Ironside mused.

"Is this cute?" Gotenks taunted.

Sir Ironside was about to react when he suddenly felt a searing pain in his abdomen. He looked down to see that his armor was completely cracked and saw the boy smirking with his fist implanted in his stomach.

"OOHHAHHHH!" Ironside yelped in surprised pain.

Gotenks then slammed Sir Ironside to the ground with a double axe handle to his back. A large cloud of dust formed from the collision. Gotenks quickly followed to see Sir Ironside stumbling around in pain.

"Ready for some ground fighting?" Gotenks smirked.

"NO! PLEASE!" Sir Ironside, now with a missing tooth shouted out and got to his knees. "I…I GIVE UP! PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!"

Lynette and Gotenks' companions gasped in shock.

"Well…that was easy…" Hotaru stated flatly.

"OH YEAH!" Gotenks raised two fingers in victory. "I'm truly the best!"

"Gotenks…" Piccolo sweat dropped. "Tell him the terms…"

"Right, jeez, don't be so uptight Piccolo!" He shrugged dismissively with his eyes closed. "Alright! Listen up!"

Sir Ironside snapped to attention.

"You're gonna leave this pretty lady and her sister alone! You and your army can join Claudas back in your own lands! Now leave!"

"YES!" Sir Ironside jumped up, sweating all over the place.

He, along with his army- which was still too shocked to speak, snapped up and left the area, leaving a massive trail of dust behind.

"I'm great!" Gotenks smirked.

"My sister!" Lynette finally called out after the dust settled down. She rushed toward the castle in the distance.

"So, shall we finally get this piece of the sword?" Trista smiled at her companions.

"Yeah let's go! This place is capital B-BORING!" Gotenks said as he walked over.

Piccolo, Trista, Rini and Hotaru sweat dropped in mild annoyance.

* * *

"So you see, some treaty between my parents and Ironsides' promised me to him when I came of age…but I never liked the guy." Lyoness told the others in her grand parlor.

"When my younger sister wasn't exactly responding well to Ironside's advances, he snapped and raised his Orc army, telling her that he would hold siege over her and her lands until she complied, and make her life miserable."

Goten and Trunks, now separated into their normal selves again, looked at Lyoness with blushes on their faces. She looked like her sister, but was younger and her hair was golden like Mina's.

"I can't thank you all enough for ridding me of Ironside." She smiled. "And you boys are quite the fighters aren't you?"

"WE SURE ARE!" Trunks answered.

"YEAH! WE'RE GREAT!" Goten followed.

Lynette and Lyoness laughed at the two kids, seeing their blushes.

"Ironside won't be back. He'll hide his head in shame." Piccolo continued. "Now Lyoness, we have a favor that we need to ask of you."

"A favor?" The two sisters both said at once.

"Yes, a crucially important one at that." Trista continued the conversational thread. "You see, we aren't just a group of adventurers that overthrew Sir Ironside for kicks. Our actions will decide the fate of the entire universe…"

"About that…just who are you guys really?" Lynette erupted in curiosity. "You've swatted away this planet's most powerful fighters with the backs of your hands! What are you doing here?"

"Where should I begin…?" Sailor Pluto prepared to relay the tale.

* * *

"So you see…our friends back on our planet right now are fighting this horde, and they're depending on us to return." Piccolo concluded. "If Bashgal gets released, you'll wish for the days of Ironside and his knights to return to you again, Lynette and Lyoness."

"Yeah, we'd be really grateful if you could help us like we helped you!" Rini chimed.

"That piece has been a family heirloom for centuries…" Lyoness trailed. "Even defeating Ironside might not be enough for me to give it to you."

"That's _my_ heirloom!" Hotaru rose from her seat with narrowed eyes. "That blade belonged to _my_ father!"

"And it hasn't been used by you or anyone close to you for centuries." Lynette, in turn narrowed hers. "We have more claim to it than you do." She tried to make clear, but not too much to upset the extremely powerful child.

The six companions were nervous now.

"But…" Lynette smiled.

"My sister and I do have a conscience." Lyoness followed. "You guys have proven your power, you have more use for the shard then I ever will. I just admire its beauty."

"You'll give it to us then?" Hotaru's face lightened.

Lyoness nodded with a smile.

"Thank you!" Hotaru rushed up and hugged the Elf.

"I'll go and get it." Lynette smiled and got up, walking into another room.

A few seconds later, she returned with the shard. This one formed the blade's middle right portion and part of its center.

"Here, take it." Lynette offered.

Hotaru touched the shard. More memories returned, such as her father's introduction of that time's King Vegeta to Queen Serenity, and various games that they used to play together. When the moment ended, she placed the shard in a pouch.

"Go forth Hotaru." Lyoness said in gratitude. "Thank you for breaking my shackles of commitment. I'm certain that if anyone can free the universe from the specter of Bashgal, it's you."

"Thank you." Hotaru responded.

"Time to leave." Trista said and stood up, holding up her Garnet Rod and forming a grey mist around the group of companions.

"We won't forget you!" Lynette cheered as they lifted into the air.

"Good luck with everything!" Lyoness waved, not finding what was happening in her parlor odd at all after all the stories.

"You think they can do it…?" Lyoness asked her sister after the group disappeared into the mist.

"We can hope…" Lynette vaguely answered.

* * *

"Elevated power levels approaching fast!" Sailor Uranus called out.

Sailor Neptune looked into the Deep Aqua Mirror and widened her eyes. "It's definitely the Starchild mercenaries!" She declared. "They're here at last!"

"We need to group into a tighter perimeter!" Mercury's voice called out on their communication devices.

"Let's go!" Uranus ordered. "And tell Venus and Jupiter to be ready to fuse!"

"AHHH!" Sailor Pallas was freaking out when she saw Numba approaching along with tall grey skinned figures with mean faces.

Sailor Neptune grabbed her hand and took to the sky. After a short while, all fifteen of the warriors were in a tight circle toward the center of the city.

"This isn't good Tien…" Chiaotzu said worriedly as his friend was nervously sweating.

"Here they come…!" Yamcha grimaced in caution.

"Girls, fusion, now!" Uranus ordered in a huff.

Uranus nodded at Neptune and held her arms out.

"FUUSION! HAAA!" They quickly did the dance, and a flash of light erupted, giving birth to Sailor Nepturanus once more.

"HURRY UP!" The fused soldier shouted at Venus and Jupiter, who quickly yelped.

"You guys better do it soon!" Krillin babbled when he saw a huge swath of Numba supported by a squad of Starchildren moving forward at high speed.

"FUUUSION!" Venus and Jupiter both shouted.

Everyone held their breath in anticipation, even Sailor Nepturanus, in hope that the two girls would perform the move correctly.

"HAAAA!"

A bright green-gold light lit up the area, causing even the Astravul to gaze on the scene in wonder. What emerged was a soldier with a long gold ponytail and rose earrings. Her skirt and collar were green, while her gloves and bow were Sailor Venus' blue. She had the boots of Sailor Jupiter, as well as her emerald eyes, but her face was more akin to Sailor Venus.'

"Neither Venus nor Jupiter, the soldier of thunderous love has arrived on the battlefield! I am Sailor Juvenus!"

"They did it!" Yamcha cheered.

"No time for this!" Sailor Nepturanus' dual voice shouted.

"Right!" The other fused Sailor Soldier answered.

Sailor Nepturanus took out her two weapons and joined them together. She took to the sky and flew straight at the first few Astravul mercenaries.

"HAAAAAAH!" She growled.

* * *

"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" Sailor Moon chanted while she released the power of her weapon. The bright pink beams incinerated the scattering of rocks that Goku had thrown at her.

Her audience clapped.

"My, that was superb Princess Serenity!" The Supreme Kai smiled.

"Very well done!" Kibito also encouraged.

"Thank you!" Serena nodded with closed and mirthful eyes. "Though it can be really scary at how fast Goku throws those rocks!" She said sheepishly with a sweat drop.

"But now your reaction time's increased!" Goku encouraged, hands on his hips. "You'll never be a better warrior if you don't push yourself past your limits."

"Yeah, but I like eating and sleeping better…" Serena's sweat drop remained.

"Yeah…that's great too!" Goku agreed. "It's hard to decide what's better!"

"You know Goku, before I met you, I didn't think anyone ate as much as I did!" Serena said goofily.

Goku plastered a smile on his face.

Queen Serenity's eyes sparkled at the scene, but then she peered down into the crystal ball and narrowed them. "Guys!" She called out. "Come over here!"

The four remaining figures approached the crystal ball. Goku, the Supreme Kai, and Kibito quickly frowned while Serena looked down with a worried face.

"Looks like round two has started!" Goku grimaced. "At least Mina and Lita's fusion worked!"

"It won't hold for long!" Queen Serenity said. "And even so…with those Starchildren at the scene…"

"They're just so resoundingly outnumbered! How long can they last?" The Supreme Kai gritted. "The fighting's become much more furious so quickly!"

"Look at that horde!" Kibito frowned. "Now their force will be multiplied many times over! I wish that Prince Endymion wasn't there!"

"Darien…" Serena trailed in fear.

Goku quickly put a reassuring arm around Serena, and she thanked him for it. Both looked toward Gohan, followed by the other three.

Gohan, for his part, had heard everything that was going on, and realized that things were getting more serious and dangerous.

"How much longer is this going to take?" He asked through gritted teeth. "We've been sitting here for over twenty hours!"

"Why yes…it should have been done by now. _Oh_!" The Old Kai chimed. "You must be _really_ strong!" He said. "Sometimes it takes a little longer for the really strong ones!"

"I'M TIRED OF YOUR GAMES KAI!" Gohan growled in anger. "HAAA!" He powered up.

A white aura surrounded him and the entire area darkened as his power raged. Smoke was blowing away from the hill he stood on and the area beneath his feet was white-hot. A high wind full of pink static electricity soon crashed around the air.

"GAH!" Goku, Kibito, and the Supreme Kai noised with bugged-out eyes.

Serena's jaw dropped, and Queen Serenity's eyes widened in disbelief.

"G…Gohan…" Serena stammered as her pigtails flailed about at high speed.

The wind picked up in a huge gust.

"Do you realize what you've done!" Gohan's blue eyes raged at his 'master.' "There are people in peril down there! This is wasting too much time!" Then he gasped. "…It worked…!"

Old Kai stoically held his arms out without saying a word.

"…" Gohan tightened his hand as his eyes reverted to normal. "…Wow…was that power really mine…?" Gohan didn't quite believe it.

"Yes it was." Old Kai informed. "Now sit down so we can finish up!"

"Right!" Gohan immediately complied. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you sir…" He trailed in apology and got back into his previous position.

"_Gohan's power…_" Serena thought. "_Unreal…all he's been doing is sitting there while I've been working my butt off! And he's still gotten so much stronger! It's not fair!_"

Queen Serenity read her daughter's thoughts and chuckled. She narrowed her eyes and looked down at the furious battle being waged by Earth's defenders against the Numba and Starchildren, knowing that the clash would only facilitate Bashgal's release- especially if they came across civilians in the line of fire. She hoped that Gohan would finish- and soon.

* * *

**I'm not dead, just busy. I'll try and pick up the pace with the updating but no guarantees.**

**Tumblr: http: /guardofliberty. tumblr. com/**

**Deadliest Fictional Warrior: http: /www. youtube. com/user/DeadliestFictWarrior**


	26. Backs Against the Horde

**Holy shit! 11,500 hits and 100 reviews! Thanks to all the readers for sticking with this thing. You've motivated me to continue this much further than I ever expected it would go. Sorry this update has taken over a month- for some reason this chapter was hard for me to get out. I've rewarded you all with a longer chapter too! Keep reviewing and I hope all my readers have a great Halloween! Party hard and drink to your heart's content! :P**

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"LOVE CHAIN EVOLUTION!" The dual voice of Sailor Juvenus called out with grit. A gleaming golden chain appeared in her hand and the fused Sailor Soldier began to swing it around, creating a blizzard of charged ethereal leafs that shot through all the Numba in their path. As for the chain itself, it sliced through anything it touched- including numerous Numba.

Sailor Mercury, having lost her Fusion partner, that being Sailor Moon, was busy utilizing her computer to analyze enemy movements, all the while trying to defend herself, along with the Sailor Quartet as backup. All four girls were busily trying to keep the incoming horde off of her. The fifteen heroic, perhaps even pathetic defenders tried their best to hold the line, but more and more of the enemy horde continued to pour in.

"GAH…kkkk…" One of the Starchildren choked as he bled out, his orange eyes quickly fading.

Sailor Nepturanus promptly removed the Space Sword from her latest victim's face. She'd stabbed the mercenary in the right cheek, right next to his nose. She widened her green eyes however, when one of his comrades quickly approached her, flying straight at her face. She grunted when the mercenary crashed right into her, taking her with him as he slammed into a building.

A loud _crash_ and dust storm followed the collision, and Sailor Nepturanus grunted in pain, grimacing at her throbbing back. A large pancake in the building was visible on the third story as the fused Sailor Soldier crashed into the ground.

"Hahah!" The smirking mercenary looked on in glee as his opponent was clearly dazed. He held out his finger and a green-yellow glow surrounded it. "I'm sure your flesh and blood will make a colorful collage on the ground!" He snickered. "ACID RAIN!"

A green-yellow beam sprung out of his finger and touched the sky. Sailor Nepturanus gasped when she felt and saw magical rain of the same color begin to fall toward her. Suddenly she felt a tremendous force snatch her up just as the rain hit- incinerating the ground with it. She looked up to see the cold eyes of 18 whisking her off.

As the mercenary turned his attention toward the retreating duo, he felt a stab in his eye, which let out blood with it.

"GAHR!" He roared as be pulled out the object- a rose with a bloodied stem. He roared up at Tuxedo Mask, whose cape was flailing about in the moonlight wind. The masked man looked down at him with a frown.

"DESTRUCTO DISK!"

The Starchild mercenary widened his eyes with a gasp but it was far too late to react. The disk decapitated him. Both his body and head fell to the ground a few seconds later, the latter rolling around for a few seconds, blood poured out of the neck and onto the sidewalk.

"Thanks guys." The dual voice of Sailor Nepturanus sighed in relief as 18 let go of her without saying a word.

"We should stick together on this one." Krillin suggested as all four came together in the sky.

"The Prince could use the extra protection…" Sailor Nepturanus muttered to herself, especially since the entire Sailor Quartet now joined to backup Sailor Mercury, who was in turn backing up Sailor Juvenus.

Tien was doing his absolute best to dodge the blows of one of the Starchildren, who definitely had the upper hand in doing battle with him. He took a powerful blow to the jaw that left him dazed. All three of Tien's eyes viewed the storm covered Central City in a blur and before he knew it a glowing rock struck him in the chest, sending him plummeting to the ground.

"Hahahah!" The attacker laughed. "Meteor Rain!"

Tien's three eyes widened and he desperately moved about to avoid the magical meteors that were summoned by his attacker.

"TIEN!" Chiaotzu called out in concern and readied a Dodon Ray to strike the attacker, but he was surprised by a Numba that viciously tackled him from the sky and to the ground. The small man grimaced as he was nicked by the creature's horn on the side of his ribcage. Blood flowed out of the wound.

"Chiaotzu!" Yamcha called out in concern and tried to rush over, but was promptly blocked by a squad of Numba.

"CRESCENT THUNDER SHOWER!"

Yamcha saw the squad of Numba get shot through with yellow beams of electricity, which spread to their entire bodies and turned them all to ash. He breathed a heavy sight of relief when Sailor Juvenus swerved and landed in front of him.

"Yamcha!" Her dual voice called out.

Yamcha nodded, immediately knowing what the fused Sailor Scout had in mind. Both gritted their teeth and raced toward Tien and Chiaotzu, only to be blocked by a squad of Numba firing blasts at them supplemented by two Starchildren in the sky.

Suddenly, all of the assailants in the area were wiped out with a series of pink energy blasts, causing a glow that momentarily stopped the battle. As Tien and Chiaotzu regrouped, all eyes focused on a black-haired man with cold blue eyes floating in the air. He wore a light blue jacket, a black shirt, jeans and had an orange bandana tied around his neck.

"17?" 18 asked in disbelief with widened eyes.

The black-haired man grinned mischievously and landed beside 18.

"Hey there sis. Lookin' good." He greeted.

"What are you doing here…?" Krillin nervously asked.

"I figured you guys could use a hand." 17 smirked. "We can all catch up later." He said in his usual carefree voice. 17's smirk widened as he got into another combat stance. "Here they come!" He shouted as a swarm of Numba accompanied by Starchildren swept down toward them.

* * *

"Damn…" Rei sighed and took a seat leaning against a hill as she looked around. "It feels like we've been traveling around in circles for days."

Vegeta grumbled and finally took a rest. He leaned against a hill across from Rei and crossed his arms.

The ghoulish wind of the Forbidden Zone blew Rei's black hair sideways from her face. She brought her legs up closer to her chest. "And here I thought Hell was supposed to be hot."

Vegeta snorted, saying nothing. Rei lightly smiled, fully expecting such behavior from him by then.

"Thanks for saving my butt back there against Cell." She said, remembering how Vegeta had gotten in front of the blast that Cell meant for her. "He used to terrify me when he was roaming around. Everyone knew what he did to Gingertown. When he announced the Cell Games we were all scared out of our wits. I used to have dreams of him tormenting and killing me. It must have been truly terrifying to face him on the battlefield before you guys had that Super Saiyan Two power-up." She said with a slight smile while looking at Vegeta.

Vegeta only shifted his eyes to look ahead, not saying anything, but the memories were clearly etched in his mind. Rei could tell that he was thinking about what she'd just said.

"It's ok if you don't want to say anything." Rei continued to smile. "I know everything you must be feeling."

"Is there a point to this conversation?" Vegeta grumbled.

Rei tempered her usual reflex to respond in a fiery manner with a sigh. "Deep down inside, behind all that grumpy pride, I know you're good guy. That Frieza guy must have been terrible. I can understand why you harmed him so much back in that bar."

Vegeta squinted his eyes before finally turning to her, which startled her somewhat. "Those fire readings you told me about. If you do one, can it tell us where this Dagoth Ur is located?"

"It's possible." Rei answered. "It's a good idea too. We might need the special sight, there's too much interference here for us to sense his energy." She referred to the weird, eerie energy that surrounded the Forbidden Zone, interfering with both of their abilities to sense power levels.

"Then let's go and find a place where you can do one. There's got to be someplace here where it isn't windy, some sort of structure." Vegeta suggested.

"Alright." Rei still smiled and got to her feet.

"Come now, we've lingered here too long." Vegeta stated and took to the sky.

Rei looked curiously at the Saiyan Prince as he flew away in the empty skies of the Forbidden Zone. That was probably the closest thing to a vote of confidence that Vegeta would ever give. She took off to the sky, quickening her pace to catch up with him.

* * *

Sailor Uranus grimaced in frustration as she saw the horde continuing to pour in. Her fusion with Neptune dissolved several minutes prior, as had Venus and Jupiter's. Without the fusions, their position inside the city was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain with every passing second.

"Uranus!"

Neptune's voice shook her out of her thoughts and she glanced at her constant partner. She glanced at the Deep Aqua Mirror and gasped in horror when it revealed that Medusa was speeding toward the battle zone- in her true form, along with a whole battalion of Starchildren and even more Numba.

"Uranus, we have to retreat!"

"EVERYONE RETREAT!" Uranus shouted for all to hear. "AND GUYS, MEDUSA IS COMING, KEEP BACK!" She warned at the top of her lungs.

Krillin made sounds of surprise and widened his eyes, knowing the stories that Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury had told of Kibito's encounter with the Sprite.

"Retreat!" Neptune followed up, releasing one last Deep Submerge before taking to the sky.

All took off, vaulting into the air and speeding away from the city.

"What now…?" Sailor Ceres asked in a defeated tone. Her red eyes buckling at the sight of the Numba swarming the city like a horde of red darkness, their dark red bodies distorting the color of the sky and landscape.

"They're just gonna keep coming!" Sailor Pallas whined. "We're lucky we made it out of there in one piece!"

"Once we take up our new positions, I'll fight Medusa." 18 volunteered. "And buy you guys time for the next fusion."

Krillin instantly backtracked in worry.

"You want a hand sis?" 17 asked nonchalantly, his voice seeking amusement.

"No." 18 immediately answered. "She'll turn you to stone if you so much as look in her eyes. All of the men here have to keep back- especially you, mister prince." She looked toward Tuxedo Mask and stated the latter somewhat sarcastically.

Tuxedo Mask looked at 18 with somewhat of a start, as this was perhaps the first time he'd ever heard her express something other than apathy toward her teammates.

Krillin looked toward his wife with worry. She did not return his affection. He could only hope that Sailors Uranus, Neptune, Venus, and Jupiter would be able to do their fusions again soon.

* * *

Meanwhile, the city streets swarmed with Numba, and their Starchild overseers looked on in approval. The screams of those who had refused to evacuate, or had been caught in the crossfire and were prevented from doing so, vibrated throughout the air. The Numba relished with joy as they pounced on their human prey. One squad of Numba turned their attention to a woman holding something in her arms, stumbling on the street in fear for dear life. She screamed at the top of her lungs as she was surrounded by a wall of red. The woman fell to her knees and backed off, not even noticing that the hard pavement was leaving her with scrapes.

"Heh." A voice in the sky sounded off, causing her to look up.

She looked up and was stunned to see two of the grayish creatures dressed more ornately than the ones that seemed to be directing the beasts, along with two other young looking women- one with blonde hair and the other with brown. She could tell that these were obviously high-status people within this…army. One of them was dressed in an ornate sailor outfit; it had a magenta collar and skirt, along with azure bows, gloves, and boots.

"One of the Sailor Soldiers…?" The woman asked in surprise. "Please! You can't kill me! I have my child!" She begged, holding up the baby in her arms for her to see.

The sailor-suited woman laughed lowly. "You must be mistaken. I'm not one of this system's Sailor Soldiers, so I could care less about you or your mongrel offspring."

As the woman stood with fear erupting out of her eyes, a deeper laugh beside the woman identified as Sailor Veneficus sounded out. He wore a silver breastplate over a black combat outfit.

"Might I?" He asked.

Sailor Veneficus smirked without taking her eyes off the panicked woman. "No Betelgu, it's time I got my feet wet."

Betelgu and the two Sprite Sisters laughed as Sailor Veneficus gathered a miniscule amount of orange energy in her palm. In a split second, the woman cried out along with the confused cries of her baby as they were both incinerated by the energy.

"Just like shooting babies." Betelgu smirked in approval, causing his mistress to laugh out loud.

* * *

Dende gasped along with Mr. Popo as the two stood at the edge of the Lookout.

"Dende…" Luna called out, prancing up to the pair along with Artemis and Diana.

"Has something bad happened down there?" Artemis asked, as the flow of information to Bulma had lulled somewhat.

"Yes, it's terrible." Dende answered them. "The city's fallen, and the people still there and on the outskirts are crying out for help."

The three cats eyed the Guardian of the Earth with saucer-like eyes that displayed great fear and concern.

* * *

Serena gasped in horror at what she'd just seen through the crystal ball. She covered her mouth as tears fell from her eyes. She was joined by her mother, Goku, the Supreme Kai, and Kibito, who all frowned and gritted their teeth in anger.

"This is terrible." The Supreme Kai frowned. "It's what I've feared for ages!" The Supreme Kai gasped, sounding distraught. "It's…Sailor Veneficus!"

"What?" Serena asked in saddened confusion.

"She is the Sailor Soldier of the Starchildren- Veneficus' own Sailor Soldier." Kibito explained. "Yours is not the only system that has Sailor Soldiers, they are spread everywhere where there is life."

"But how could a Sailor Soldier do such a terrible thing? We're supposed to fight for love and justice!" Serena begged for an explanation.

"Mordred's corruption." Queen Serenity nearly spat. "He took the Starchildren under his wing. Since they're naturally talented magicians, Sailor Veneficus' powers can only have grown! It was a wise move for Mordred to bring her to Earth- the man's no dummy."

"Look, there's Medusa!" Kibito pointed. "She's charging right at 18!"

"All those people…that poor mother and baby…" Serena muttered to herself, still in tears. "Kibito!" She shouted. "Teleport me to Earth! I have to go back!" She begged.

"No." The Kai gruffly answered her.

"But my friends are in danger! All those people are in danger and they need my help!" She continued. "What kind of queen would I be if I don't help my friends and all of those poor people? Isn't that what I'm here for?" She was screaming now.

"Serena." Goku frowned.

She turned her tearing eyes toward the Saiyan.

"We can wish them all back with the Dragon Balls." He said coolly. "You've gotten much stronger, but as it stands, you're still not ready to go back." Goku informed.

"Goku's right." Queen Serenity agreed. "As it stands, you're still too weak. If you want to be a good queen, you'll stay here and complete your training."

Serena only stammered and made sounds of her objection.

"Our only hope now is that the others can somehow hold off Sailor Veneficus." Queen Serenity continued. "…Until Gohan can get down there."

All five figures looked toward the young half-Saiyan, who was trying to maintain his concentration as best he could, with the Elder Kai still holding his hands out and laughing at his comic books.

"_C'mon…"_ Goku frowned. _"We're running out of time!"_ He thought as he looked toward his son. He then looked at Serena to see her distraught face. Goku instantly felt terrible. She reminded him much of himself, but there was absolutely nothing he could do her now, all he could do was place faith in his son.

* * *

Medusa cackled and launched a green blast of energy at 18. She dodged and the ball soon exploded on the ground, sending debris flying in all directions. Screams of people fleeing the scene below were readily heard by the 'modified' human's ears.

"You've already failed." The Sprite smirked as her snake hair hissed.

18 gasped and the next thing she knew she was being hit hard in the face by Medusa. The blonde was sent plummeting and crashed into the ground, causing a huge eruption of dirt.

"18!" Venus and Jupiter both gasped at the same time.

"Uranus, she needs our help! We have to do fusion!" Jupiter said.

"It's still too soon." Uranus gritted nervously as she watched 18 get back up, flying right at Medusa and going at her, landing a few hits here and there, but otherwise, the Sprite was dodging well.

Behind the women, the men were doing their best to hold off the Numba horde, which flew out from the city and toward their current position in the surrounding countryside. All took care not to so much as glance at 18's battle, however. The overcast night was still dark and dank, but thankfully the rain had stopped. Suddenly, a series of eager war cries sounded in the ears of the four Sailor Soldiers and a squad of Astravul appeared, the Starchildren were eager to get in on the action. The young women were completely taken by surprise and were not ready to counterattack.

"FREEZING KISS!" Four voices shouted at once.

The incoming Astravul were startled and screamed in the air as they were frozen over and shattered- their ice shards melting into water before hitting the ground.

The Sailor Quartet stood with their hands outstretched, looking with pride at what they'd just done. They saw that the five older Sailors looked at them with smiles, even Uranus and Neptune.

Sailor Ceres was the first to look up at the battle being waged in the sky, which was remarkably clear of Numba or Starchild mercenaries.

18 charged and punched Medusa in the face, to which the Sprite groaned lowly. 18 followed it up with a flurry of punches, but she cried out in pain as one of the snakes in Medusa's hair bit into her hand, drawing twin trickles of blood.

"AHHH!" 18 gritted. Though the wounds were small, the snake bites were painful. Medusa followed it up with another energy blast that sent her opponent flying back.

"Guys!" Sailor Ceres said to her older companions. "You guys really need to do that fusion thing! She needs help!"

"Yeah!" Sailor Juno agreed.

"Let's give it a try." Sailor Neptune stated as calmly as she could.

Uranus, Neptune, Venus, and Jupiter all nodded and got into their positions. They narrowed their eyes as they saw 18 struggling and exchanging blows with Medusa.

"FUU-SION!"

The Sailor Quartet all watched nervously as the older women did their silly poses.

"HAAAH!"

By now, they were all adept at doing the moves and were successful. Out of a flash of lights, Sailor Nepturanus and Juvenus emerged once again.

"Wow!" Sailor Pallas said in awe as she saw and felt the incredible power of the two fused Sailor Soldiers.

"It's time to help our friend!" The dual voice of Sailor Juvenus called out and rushed off, followed by her fused counterpart.

"We've got to learn that fusion trick." Sailor Vesta immediately insisted.

"Well, it certainly requires a lot of dedication."

The four turned their attention to Sailor Mercury, who stood behind them with a smile.

"I lost my fusion partner when Serena left for the World of the Kais, but a lot of practice is necessary. It isn't just learning dance moves. You have to think and feel like you're the same person, and make sure your energy is completely equal."

"That sounds hard…" Sailor Pallas trailed.

They all turned their attention back toward the fight as Palla Palla moped.

* * *

18 avoided a punch from Medusa- barely, and attempted to respond with one of her own. Medusa dodged it and threw her fist back to punch again, when suddenly it was caught in a golden chain. Quickly, Medusa's entire body was filled with electricity and she shouted in pain at the massive jolt.

18 looked around to see the two fused Sailor Soldiers nearby. One of them holding the chain to the still screaming Medusa as her body glowed bright blue. She couldn't fight a smirk.

"18, let's finish her quickly!" Sailor Nepturanus goaded.

18 smirked and charged up a huge pink ball of energy. Sailor Nepturanus put the Space Sword and the Deep Aqua Mirror together.

"SPACE SUBMARIEN SWORD REFLECTION BLAST!" The fused Scout called out as 18 charged up her blast. Both attacks were released at the same time against the Medusa still struggling under Sailor Juvenus' voltage via her chain. Blasts of blue, shining curved blasts, and 18's energy bomb all collided into Medusa at the same time.

"AAHHHH!" The Sprite shouted in pain. She was vaporized in seconds.

18 smirked as the dust cleared and her companions floated around her. "I suppose it's ok for the men to come out of hiding now."

"Mercury's already on it." Sailor Juvenus smiled as she spotted her companion down below.

"You guys better move it." 18 ordered. "You won't stay fused for long. We have to get back down there."

"18, you just might be human after all." Sailor Juvenus smiled as Nepturanus rushed back down toward the battlefield.

18 smirked at her and the two followed suit.

* * *

"Mistress…I can no longer feel Medusa's energy." Betelgu reported to Sailor Veneficus.

"WHAT?" Chimera and Scylla shouted in disbelief, but then felt the same thing themselves.

"Yes I felt it." Sailor Veneficus calmly stated as the sounds of her troops and the Numba causing destruction filled her ears. "I also felt four powers disappear and two much larger ones emerge. Very odd."

"I think it's time we went and took care of business ourselves, Mistress." Betelgu suggested over the yammering of Chimera and Scylla.

"You know the old saying; if you want a job done you'd better do it yourself." She muttered and took off, speeding toward the location, followed by Betelgu, who told the Sprites to remain behind.

* * *

Krillin released another Destructo Disk, slicing through a line of Numba and rendering them blood and guts on the ground. Nearby, the Sailor Quartet froze and shattered many incoming Numba with Freezing Kiss. Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu were blasting away at Numba, along with Tuxedo Mask.

"DEEP SHAKING!" Sailor Nepturanus shouted out and sent her blue-orange ball of air and water at the nearest Starchild, who did not have time to dodge. The attack hit him head on, startling him. Sailor Nepturanus followed the attack up with a Slice to the mercenary's neck with her Space Sword, taking its head off.

Sailor Juvenus swung her chain around in an arc, sending magical green leaves out along the way and shooting beams of light and electricity from her fingers. Numba and even several Starchildren went down before her.

"We're doing great…" Sailor Neptuarnus pondered to herself. The sky was still clouded and the night still dark, but they were holding off the horde on the outskirts of the city. Perhaps that would give the people in the immediate vicinity enough time to evacuate.

Tuxedo Mask was the first to widen his eyes at the massive power he felt approaching. The others quickly followed suit. "Wh…who is that…?" He trailed, catching his breath from the last exchange.

A form emerged in the lead of the Numba and Starchildren, and to everyone's surprise she was dressed in a sailor suit. Her gloves and bow were azure, and her skirt and collar were magenta.

"What the hell?" 17 asked guardedly. "She looks just like you!"

"Well…not just like us…" Sailor Mercury answered him in an unusual bit of sarcasm.

Sailor Veneficus heard the sarcasm and did not mince words. She rushed toward 17, appearing in front of his face in a snap.

"What?" The normally confident and nonchalant 17 gasped in shock.

Sailor Veneficus frowned and punched him in the face, sending the somewhat artificial human flying back into a large boulder.

"17!" His sister gasped, followed by the others individually gasping at what had just taken place, in a tide and waterfall of shock.

The two fused Sailor Soldiers attempted to get into position as 18 and Krillin charged at this new antagonist. She narrowed her eyes and shifted toward her peripheral vision. The grey-skinned alien snapped her fingers and sent two thick bolts of lightning at Sailors Juvenus and Nepturanus, hitting them both and sending them flying back. She immediately repositioned herself and easily knocked away 18 and Krillin with a punch and a kick, respectively, the husband and wife duo landing in the dirt and creating a ditch.

"I won't let you get into any formation." She stated coldly.

"Who is that…?" Sailor Ceres said with a nervous sweat as she instinctively stepped toward Tuxedo Mask, knowing her mission to protect the future King of the Silver Millennium.

"And why is she in a sailor suit?" Sailor Mercury asked while furiously trying to get an analysis on her computer.

The other members of the Sailor Quartet all looked nervous, and Sailor Pallas looked frightened.

"To answer your question…"

They all turned toward the sound of a calm, confident male voice. His ornate armor did not go unnoticed.

"You brats are not the only Sailor Soldiers around. Each civilization has its own Sailor warrior, imbued with the power of that planet's shining star." He explained. "They're called Sailor Crystals, and each one of you has one. Why do you think you've been calling out 'Crystal Power Makeup' in your transformation sequences?" He motioned to all the standing Sailor Soldiers.

The newly awakened Sailor Quartet all looked at themselves puzzlingly, trying to find this so-called crystal. Even the much more experienced Mercury looked visibly surprised.

"You have one too, Prince." The mysterious man stated, causing his eyes to widen behind his mask. "That right there." He pointed to the mysterious warrior who easily dismissed Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu, knocking them away with ease. "Is my Mistress, the Sailor Soldier of my home world…"

* * *

"Sailor Crystal…?" Serena asked, confused.

"The Silver Crystal is your own." Queen Serenity stated. "It has been our family's Sailor Crystal." She continued to explain. "Sailor Crystals are there for every civilization in the galaxy, including the Astravul."

"No, I refuse to believe this! Why would a Sailor Soldier be terrorizing people…killing _infants_?"

"Just because you're Sailor Soldier doesn't mean you'll fight for love and justice." Queen Serenity answered, trying to calm her daughter down. "We all have our own values and willpower. The Astravul want power, and knowledge of magic." She frowned. "Mordred certainly brought them on that path."

"What now!" Serena asked, as her mother only agitated her more. "What's going to happen to them?"

"It stands to reason that Mordred would have spent some time training Sailor Veneficus in the Hybrid Fighting Style." Kibito said. "She would have had the most potential of any individual Astravul."

"And judging by what I see…" The Supreme Kai frowned. "They don't stand a chance."

Serena gasped again and covered her mouth. Goku frowned with a nervous sweat and shifted his eyes over to the Elder Kai with his son. He knew Gohan had heard, and knew that he knew the stakes.

* * *

"Now you know the story. As for myself, I am my Mistress' right hand, and I go by the name of Betelgu." He explained confidently.

Sailors Juvenus and Nepturanus struggled to their feet, gritting their teeth along the way. 18 followed while Krillin was still visibly in too much pain to stand up.

"A Sailor Soldier huh?" Nepturanus muttered with the sarcasm she clearly got from Amara.

Sailor Veneficus rocketed toward Nepturanus and kneed her in the stomach, causing the fused soldier much pain and forcing her to spit out blood.

"Don't you dare disrespect us." She stated with a calm frown.

"Crescent Thunder Shower!" Sailor Juvenus cried out and sent flashes of light beams along with thunderbolts out at Sailor Veneficus.

Sailor Veneficus calmly dodged the attacks with a series of rapid dematerializations. Once past the series of beams and lighting she blitzed Sailor Juvenus and punched her square in the jaw, sending her flying back with much pain.

"Man! Talk about speed and power!" Yamcha gasped. "I haven't seen anyone fight like that except for Goku and Mordred!" He referred back to Goku's still unbelievable fight with Mordred as a Super Saiyan 3.

Sailor Veneficus lifted into the air and spun around at high speed, releasing a series of orange energy blasts that rained all over the area and began to explode- lighting the night sky up in orange.

"Whoa!" Everyone shouted as they scrambled to dodge.

"And now it's time for you to DIE!" Betelgu shouted in delight and moved in to get his own piece of the action.

The Sailor Quartet and Sailor Mercury all gasped and soon enough were hit by blasts of magic by Betelgu, shocking them with dark electricity.

"AHHHHH!" They all screamed in pain.

Sailor Veneficus grinned and formed a flaming stone in her hand. It grew in size rapidly until it was around the size of a table.

"GOODNIGHT!" She screamed in glee at the two fused Sailor Soldiers who were still staggering to recover. "Flamestone!" She shouted and released the fiery ball.

The two bruised Sailor Soldiers gasped as they saw the flaming rock bearing right down on them. Suddenly, they felt a ripping sensation, and in a flash, there stood four Sailor Soldiers in place of the two. Though they were still breathing heavily, their bodies were no longer fused, and thus, no longer injured. They quickly jumped out of the way of the stone, dodging into the air.

"What is this?" Sailor Veneficus asked in an unusual bit of surprise as the Flamestone exploded on the ground, sending a wall of flames that raged in all directions and left a football field of charred ash in its wake.

"The fusion is over…!" Sailor Neptune gasped as she looked up at their antagonist.

Sailor Veneficus began to laugh haughtily in the air. "Ahhh, so that's what it was! I handy little technique, but far from enough I'm afraid."

The four gathered together, and along with Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu rushed toward Sailor Veneficus all at once. Sailor Veneficus effortlessly parried their attacks and countered, punching them in their faces and chests, causing all seven to cry out in pain.

She then blasted them all casually with a series of energy blasts.

"COME FORTH TROOPS AND SMASH THIS PLANET'S RESISTANCE ONCE AND FOR ALL!" She shouted, finally giving the order as all seven collided to the ground audibly.

"…The others!" Sailor Mercury muttered in pain, before her jaw was again painfully smacked in the jaw by Betelgu.

Sailor Juno tried to ready an attack but he elbowed her in the face.

"AHHHH!" The green-haired girl cried out.

Betelgu quickly sent orange blasts of energy at the other three of the Quartet, knocking them all to the ground with their bodies visibly smoking.

"The Prince is now alone!" Betelgu smirked in triumph.

Sailor Veneficus narrowed her eyes in a smirk of her own. Suddenly, she felt a rush of air speeding toward her, and saw that the black-haired man she'd put down earlier was charging and only inches away from her with his fist. She caught his hand and pulled him forward with his own momentum. 17 gasped and widened his eyes in shock. Sailor Veneficus' white eyes sparkled at him with glee.

"Your powers are no match for mine." She muttered casually, almost seductively in his ear.

17 took a heavy breath in disbelief and déjà vu. He then felt heavy pain at Sailor Veneficus' knee shattering into his stomach, followed by a double axe handle to his back that sent him sprawling down to the charred ground.

* * *

"EVERYONE!" Serena screamed in absolute horror.

Goku gritted his teeth with a frown and began to sweat nervously. The more regal trio of the Supreme Kai, Kibito, and Queen Serenity kept their frowns cooler.

* * *

"Hah." She smirked and sped over to Tuxedo Mask, who was the only one in the party still standing. "Halt!" She commanded her troops. All the mercenaries stopped, looking upon the scene and doing their best to stop the Numba from advancing.

"Why are you doing this?" Tuxedo Mask asked her.

"It's within my blood." She cryptically explained. "This is what is necessary for Lord Bashgal's return. A new age will be ushered in, where Lord Bashgal will lead the strong to their most powerful forms. We can then guide the weak as we were destined to do. Only those that oppose us need fear us. All will worship Lord Bashgal."

"Do you realize what you're saying?" Tuxedo Mask scoffed.

"SHUT UP!" Sailor Veneficus was annoyed by his tone and punched him in the face.

"GHHHH!" Tuxedo Mask gritted as he flew back and crashed to the ground.

"The Prince…" Uranus gritted as she struggled to push herself up from her back.

The Sailor Quartet rushed to defend their Prince, but Betelgu grinned in excitement and delivered one blow against all of them with each of his four limbs at the same time, sending them all careening back.

Sailor Pallas grunted and cried, bleeding from the mouth.

"Sailor Veneficus…she's…she's just like…_him_." Sailor Jupiter muttered, holding her arm in pain.

Sailor Neptune blinked several times as the light of the night filtered out the blackness she'd been seeing.

"You ok?" Uranus asked sweetly.

"The sky…" Neptune stated without looking into her lover's eyes.

Uranus, Jupiter, and Venus struggled to crane their necks upward to look at the sky. Lo and behold, the clouds had gone, and the moon was once again shining down on the scene.

"The sea has calmed." She muttered. "It's as if…as if there will be a clearing for us…to come."

Uranus knew that Neptune's intuition was telling her something. She saw the sky beginning to glow and felt the calmness of the wind, even over the background of screams from the city and surrounding area as the new day showed its first signs of dawn.

"What could you guys be talking about…?" Venus trailed as she saw Sailor Veneficus' hand go around Tuxedo Mask's throat. The others slowly started to get to their feet, only to see Betelgu laughing at all of them.

* * *

"DARIEN!" Serena screamed in sheer terror. All the breath left her body and she felt like she'd been punched in the stomach a million times. Tears began to flood out of her eyes, and their characteristic light dimmed. "I have to go back!" She shouted. "I have to do what I can!"

"Serenity…" Her mother tried to console her as rivers were now leaking from her eyes.

Goku got up and shouted at the Elder Kai. "HEY YOU GUYS BETTER HURRY UP! The others…DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO HOLD ON FOR MUCH LONGER!" He shouted in to what Serena's ears was a very uncharacteristic sign of panic. Queen Serenity, Kibito, and the Supreme Kai quickly joined him on their feet, all looking anxiously at the scene.

"I…don't know how much we have left!" Gohan stated in exasperation.

"Ugh!" Goku muttered with a sweat. "This is taking too long!"

"Oh it's fine…" The Elder Kai said calmly as he turned a page of his comic book, only one of his arms outstretched. "You can go. It should have been finished a while ago."

Serena immediately paled even further and turned to look at the strange old deity.

"GAH!" All the males present besides the Old Kai said in an outburst.

"A WHILE AGO?" Goku, Kibito, and the Supreme Kai all shouted with dumbfounded looks on their faces.

"Exactly how long ago was my training complete?" Gohan asked with the same expression as he got to his feet.

"Uh…maybe five or ten minutes." The Elder Kai answered him.

"I've been sitting around for ten minutes for no reason!" Gohan asked angrily. "People are fighting and dying right now and we're doing nothing!"

"Stay focused, and use that anger to your advantage." The Elder Kai replied calmly.

Serena was still wailing as she glanced back down at the crystal ball. "Darien…my friends! Please…!" She said desperately to no one in particular.

"Now that my training is over how do I make sure what you did comes through in my fighting?" Gohan asked, still a bit confused about the strange ordeal and how it could have helped him.

"Well…you just do that Super Saiyan thing you always do and stop worrying!" He answered, still sitting. "It'll happen. Just make sure you let it."

"All I have to do is become a Super Saiyan…and believe!" Gohan said to himself with confidence.

"Try believing someplace else!" The Elder Kai requested frantically.

"Hah…HAHHHHHHHHH!" Gohan began to shout as he gathered his energy. "HAHHHHH….HAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He shouted more as a furious wind emitted from where he stood.

"AHHHH OOOOH!" The Elder Kai shouted in dismay as he was easily tossed aside by the hurricane-like winds coming from Gohan releasing his energy.

Goku gasped as he saw the hill Gohan was on completely blown bare of grass. Two long blonde pigtails blew backward furiously from the head of Serena, who was standing to Goku's left. Queen Serenity's had the same reaction to the sheer force as her daughter, who she stood next to.

"AAHHHHH AHHHHH UHHH AHHH!" The Elder Kai shouted as he tumbled through the air, Gohan's voice and the furious wind still filling the area.

"Uhh…uhh…" Goku gasped in disbelief with his eyes wide as saucers and his jaw dropped.

"Ahhhh! Uhhh…uhhh!" The Supreme Kai said as he tried to resist the furious wind blowing on his body.

"UGHHHH!" Kibito noised as he felt the wind blowing at him. His long white hair flailed in the wind.

Several hills near the area were pulverized to dust.

"Uhh…Ahhh…." Queen Serenity noised as she looked at the scene, her silver pigtails blowing furiously behind her.

Cracks of electricity filled the area and a nearby tree blew furiously back, the tree itself seemed to struggle against being knocked over. Large waves were produced in the water of the pond nearby.

"…" Serena could not speak as she looked on with her sapphire eyes wide as saucers. The winds emitting from Gohan blew her pigtails and her tears straight back behind her.

"HAAAAHHHHHHH!" Gohan continued, electricity crackling all around him.

"Ahh…uhhh…" Goku noised again as electricity crackled in the air in front of his face.

Gohan finished. The tree behind the group gathered around the hill still cracked with electricity.

"Hahh…huhh…" Gohan took a deep breath as electric sparks still surrounded the ground beneath his feet and the dust continued to blow from the momentum of his wind.

"I can't believe he couldn't have waited for me to move first!" The Elder Kai hmphed on the ground.

"This…is awesome!" Gohan said in amazement at his power, taking a good look at himself. "Hey dad, are you checkin' this out?" His arms were outstretched in victory.

"I sure am! That's incredible Gohan! I'm so proud of you!" Goku replied.

"Perfect. Gohan has ascended past his previous limitations." Kibito said as he walked up to the Supreme Kai, both deities looking at the scene with determined eyes.

"But look at him, he's…normal." Goku said in disbelief. "Incredible, he's stronger than he ever was as a Super Saiyan, but he looks like he hasn't changed a bit! I didn't know sitting still for such a long time could do that for you!"

Queen Serenity smiled and then looked at Gohan with the same expression her longtime Kai companions held. "I suppose the reason is that the Elder Kai's power up allowed Gohan to access his full potential. Logically if one can access all of one's powers, he wouldn't need a transformation such as Super Saiyan to power up further, because it would be impossible to do so."

Serena made a small noise and looked up at her mother, trying to ponder it for herself.

"Well, regardless of the details, this is amazing." Goku smiled.

Queen Serenity closed her eyes and smiled herself. "Yes." She opened her eyes and looked at Goku. "You have a lot to be proud of as a father, Goku."

"I'm the one that works hard and trains the boy, and no one even bothers to help me up!" The Elder Kai muttered with a scoff and dusted himself off.

"We should leave here immediately. The others can't stall Sailor Veneficus and her forces any longer, so we have to get to Earth quickly for this to work!" The Supreme Kai motioned.

"Not us." Kibito stated. "Gohan will make his journey to Earth alone."

"What about my obligations? I am completely responsible for that planet's well-being!" The Supreme Kai countered.

"A bad idea sir." Queen Serenity said. "You going back would only distract Gohan. You should wait here. This phase of the game is Gohan's to handle, alone."

The Supreme Kai relented to the opinions of the two people closest to him.

"So what's the plan?" Gohan asked with a confident smile as he strolled toward the gathered group.

"GOHAN PLEASE!" Serena ran toward him and threw her arms around him, crying into his chest, visibly startling him. "Please protect Darien! Protect him and all our friends!"

Gohan smirked. "Serena." He tilted her face up to his eyes. "You're good friend, Serena." He smirked. "I promise I won't let you down. Friends don't let each other down."

Serena smiled weakly and nodded with a low noise. She continued to cling onto him as he walked further toward the group.

"Time to go, and you will be traveling without me. Kibito and Queen Serenity are right." The Supreme Kai said.

The pinkish Kai gave an affirmative grunt.

Queen Serenity smiled as she walked up to Gohan.

"Gohan, before you go, take these." She beckoned, and held out a set of what to Gohan looked like an array of colorful sticks with a crescent moon on top and with differently colored circles in front. On each respective circle was a different planetary symbol. White wings were on the sides. "Give these Henshin Wands to the Sailor Scouts, and tell them to combine them with their Sailor Crystals. This power up will allow them to transform into their Eternal Forms, and believe me, they'll need them."

"Yeah!" Gohan said as he took the Henshin Wands, which Queen Serenity had put into a pouch. "No problem!" He tied the patch around his belt.

In a move that startled Gohan, Queen Serenity threw her arms around him, and began to speak with tears.

"Thank you Gohan." She looked at him with water in her sky colored eyes. "For most of my life I thought that the Saiyan race was comprised of nothing but selfish, bloodthirsty barbarians, yet my cousin Robert always believed in them, and scolded me on more than one occasion for my prejudice. I'm overjoyed to say that you and your father…" She smiled at Goku. "…And even Vegeta, were and are living, walking proof that he was right and I was wrong. Now go, make me proud again, they need you."

Gohan returned Queen Serenity's hug and nodded. She kissed him on the cheek and went to stand next to the Supreme Kai on his right with her daughter in tow.

"Good luck Gohan." Goku smiled and walked up to his son. "I wish there was a way I could go with you…but I belong here now." Gohan turned toward his father with sad, yet loving eyes. "Make your father proud, son. I have faith that you can beat these guys."

"Thanks dad." Gohan smiled somberly.

"This is the last time I'll get to see you- until you make your journey over to this world." He confidently smiled with a wink. Gohan's eyes saddened, but Goku's smile didn't fade. "You ready? Show e'm what a Saiyan's made of!"

"Yeah…!" Gohan muttered in a bittersweet tone and threw his arms around his father. Goku finally put an arm around Gohan's back.

"Ok." Goku said as they broke apart and put two hands on his son's shoulders. "Go be a hero…!"

Gohan nodded and ran to Kibito. "I'm gonna do my best dad!" He said, turning back one last time with a wave.

Both warriors exchanged a last smile and thumbs up as Queen Serenity looked on to the scene, fresh tears flowing from her eyes. Then, Kibito and Gohan vanished, departing for the war-torn Earth.

The Elder Kai looked at Goku, the Supreme Kai, Serena, and Queen Serenity standing at the scene where the two had left.

"They left without saying a word, not a goodbye, not a thank you…after all the work I did for him! That's kids these days, no respect!" The Elder Kai mumbled.

* * *

Gohan and Kibito instantly appeared on Earth. The sun was just beginning to come up on their backs and the calming wind blew their clothes.

"Now you're on your own. The lone Saiyan!" Kibito chuckled.

"Hey…Kibito?" Gohna asked.

"…Yes?" Kibito asked curiously.

Gohan turned toward him and smiled. "I need your help, I want to change clothes…but I don't really have what I want. My father is the greatest fighter ever!" Gohan smiled as the clouds blew in the blue sky above him. "And I want to fight in the same clothing as him!"

"Of course, you're quite respectful." Kibito smirked gently. "Now explain to me exactly what the outfit looked like. What…color was it?" He asked as he raised his hands.

"Uh…how about the one he was just wearing?" Gohan asked with curious eyes. He smiled as an exact duplicate of Goku's orange and blue gi sparkled onto him in replacement of the Kai-like clothes. "That's the one! Thanks Kibito!"

"Anything for a savior!" Kibito smiled warmly. "We anticipate great things to come from you Gohan. Please don't leave us and the world disappointed!"

"No way!" Gohan said confidently. "I'm not gonna start disappointing people now!" He raised two fingers in a sign of victory.

Kibito gave Gohan a thumbs up and vanished. Gohan slowly lowered his arm and fingers and calmly took a moment to ponder what had happened up until this point, and what was to come as the wind gently blew his hair. He felt the elevated power levels some distance away, and could tell that people were in fear and danger. Gohan then frowned in determination.

"Alright…this is it!" He whispered to himself determinedly and took to the sky, rocketing with the wind toward the location of the battle with the newly risen sun at his back.

* * *

**By the way, I made an AMV for DBZ and Sailor Moon. You guys might like it.**

**http:/ youtube ****.com/watch?v=v**** WHE9N8VDDM**

**Tumblr: ****http:/guardofliberty****. tumblr. com/**


	27. A Whole New Gohan

**Howdy everyone! Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter: Batthan, Taeniaea, midniteryder, SaiyanWarrior200, gaisent11 & Chuni Luni. I was excited about this one, as I've been waiting to do this for a long time. In case you haven't figured it out, Gohan is my favorite DBZ character, so I guess that's why I was able to do it relatively quickly. I think this also has somewhat of a Dragon Ball Z Kai feel to it. I've seen some episodes and it's really good so far. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the chapter and keep reviewing!**

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* * *

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"Ughh!" Tuxedo Mask grunted as he hit the ground in a heap.

"AHHHH!" Sailors Pallas and Juno screamed in pain as Betelgu choked them and then threw them toward the area where Tuxedo Mask landed.

Sailor Veneficus grinned in glee and shot two blasts of energy at Sailors Ceres and Vesta, slapping them back with burns toward where the others seemed to be gathering.

"You have lost." Sailor Veneficus stated calmly with a frown as she looked at the beaten and battered group of defenders standing- in some cases barely so, before her. "You are remnants of a bygone era. Now you must die."

"Aw man…not again!" Krillin muttered, his face smeared with dirt and blood.

"Just when we came here…!" Sailor Juno complained.

"I DON'T WANNA DIE!" Sailor Pallas cried out, to Betelgu's humor.

18 said nothing, only wondering what was to be the future of her child.

"Again, huh?" 17 said with a dismissive, unafraid smirk.

Sailors Venus, Mercury, and Jupiter, stared with nervous sweats, their eyes showing fear.

"Are you scared Michelle?" Sailor Uranus whispered to her lover.

"I'm not scared of death when I'm with you." She replied.

"At least we can die with the sun on our backs huh?" She asked with a grin.

Suddenly, Sailor Neptune went from closing her eyes in what she expected to be a last bit of peace to opening them up until they were as wide as the sky in a split second along with a startled gasp. Everyone else quickly followed and looked toward their left.

"What is it!" Sailor Uranus was the one to voice what was on their minds. "It's…it's MINDBOGGLING!" She shouted.

"It's a…person…" Sailor Juno trailed in fear of the unknown, which even exceeded her previous fear of death.

"I'm…afraid…!" Krillin trailed with shortness of breath.

"But who!" Sailor Uranus shouted. "I've never felt _anything_ like this before…it's outrageously strong! It could be a new enemy everyone! Keep close together!" She ordered.

"Do you think that this could be B…?" Sailor Venus asked Jupiter and Mercury.

Sailor Veneficus frowned as a distant form appeared in the sunlight. The sound of a high speed flyer began to fill the area as a black dot appeared on the horizon. In a few seconds, it began to become more detailed.

"What…I don't believe it! It's Goku!" Sailor Uranus shouted, seeing the orange and blue gi.

Everyone stared in disbelief as the form began to approach rapidly, a sonic boom blasting behind him.

"…No you guys!" Sailor Venus corrected as his visage became more visible. A smile filled her bruised and beaten face. "It's Gohan!" She shouted excitedly.

"But how!" Sailor Mercury asked in a rare sign of disbelief.

Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu began to shout and jump in joy, laughing and pumping their fists.

"…Gohan…!" Sailor Uranus gasped

Both Uranus and Neptune gasped as he flew over their heads and landed around twenty feet in front of the group, getting between them and Sailor Veneficus and kicking a dust storm up along the way. Tuxedo Mask gently smiled.

"Hey guys, what's happening?" Gohan asked after a moment's silence with a confident smile as he turned his head somewhat to look at them.

"Hey there Gohan…" Sailor Neptune said in an uncharacteristically surprised monotone.

"Hi Gohan what's up? We all thought that you were dead!" Sailor Venus asked excitedly.

"I would have been if it weren't for the help of the Supreme Kai, but that's all in the past." He kept the same confident smile. "I think it's time to focus on the here and now." He turned his gaze toward Sailor Veneficus, coolly frowning at her.

Sailors Venus and Jupiter sighed longingly and began to blush.

"I don't know how but he's even better looking now than he was before…" Sailor Venus sighed as hearts began to beat in her eyes.

"Yeah…" Sailor Jupiter said with the same expression.

"For some reason…Gohan just seems completely different!" Yamcha muttered. "I hardly recognize him!"

"Huh?" The Sailor Quartet all looked at the older men curiously, along with Uranus, Neptune, and Ami.

"His face…it's changed a little and his power has increased dramatically." Tien began.

"…But that's not it either! It's his attitude…it's so different!" Krillin said. "He's so…confident!"

"Are you guys alright?" Gohan asked without looking back.

"We've been pretty hemmed in here!" Uranus answered him.

"I know." Gohan answered. "Stay back."

"Wait a minute Gohan! You don't plan on fighting her alone do you?" Neptune asked in disbelief. "Let us help you!"

"No." Gohan responded immediately. "This battle's beyond your skills. Just leave it all to me."

Neptune had a flashback of déjà vu as Gohan began to calmly walk forward toward the smirking Sailor Veneficus.

Gohan smirked without a care in the world as Sailor Veneficus' visage came closer and more detailed with each deliberate step. The gathered squads of mercenaries were tense as they wondered whether they should jump in, but their commander halted them with her hand. They likewise did their best to halt the chomping at the bait Numba.

"So…you've chosen to be their champion?" Sailor Veneficus asked as Gohan stopped in front of her. "Brave of you boy, and foolish."

"Hm." Gohan smirked.

Sailor Veneficus widened her eyes in mild surprise before smirking again. "So hotshot, you're going to fight me?"

"Fight you?" Gohan asked with amusement. "No, I'm gonna kill you." He smiled confidently.

"You guys, there's gotta be something we can do to help him!" Sailor Venus shouted in concern.

"But what?" Neptune asked. "Even when we were fused we couldn't so much as scratch her!"

Gohan in the meantime calmly looked at Sailor Veneficus. His calmness startled even her somewhat. Sailor Veneficus frowned and began to gather energy around herself. Gohan did the same, casually sending a ring of dust around the battlefield that forced even Betelgu to shield his eyes. Gohan then frowned and punched Sailor Veneficus in the mouth.

"AHHHHH!" She screamed in pain and staggered back, placing her hands on her bleeding lips.

"UH!" Sailors Uranus and Neptune dropped their jaws in shock.

"Whoa!" Venus and Jupiter did the same.

"You're making a mistake boy!" Sailor Veneficus growled with a hand still on her mouth.

Gohan dismissed her as he leapt and kicked her in the face, sending her crashing to the ground with several bumps before she came to rest.

* * *

"Incredible…" 17 even admitted with widened eyes.

* * *

Betelgu's eyes were shaking in nervousness at this mysterious youth.

* * *

"Getting up soon?" Gohan asked the grunting Sailor Veneficus, who pushed herself to her feet.

"I'll beat your ass boy!" Sailor Veneficus shouted with a cuss, causing Gohan to smirk.

She rushed toward him and threw a series of punches and kicks, all of which were easily blocked by Gohan. Gohan parried one punch and did a high kick to his opponent's unprotected chin, followed by a punch to her gut.

"AHHHHHHH!" Sailor Veneficus' eyes looked like they would bug out of her skull as she staggered back, coughing up drops of blood and trying to catch her breath.

* * *

"YES!" Sailor Venus shouted. "Alright Gohan!"

"Cool…huh CereCere?" Sailor Juno asked.

"Yeah…very…" She answered in disbelief.

* * *

"Now that's more like it!" Goku said with a smile as he watched the scene in the crystal ball.

"He is truly amazing!" Kibito complimented.

"Well, I guess my recruiting instincts were correct after all." The Supreme Kai smiled.

"Sure. I suppose if you can't do the job yourself finding someone who can is the next best thing." The Elder Kai responded. "But I always thought it would be a Kai that would break the Z Sword and save the universe."

"I think it all worked out in the end hasn't it?" The Supreme Kai smiled. "After all, Earth should be saved by Earthlings right?"

"I agree." Goku smiled. "You can't just wait for a savior to pop out of the heavens!"

"Yes." Queen Serenity smiled warmly. "I used to watch over that planet as you know. I'm overjoyed that Earthlings like Gohan have evolved. That planet is more than capable of taking care of itself."

"Of course I know all of that you youngsters! I'm an ancient man! Don't lecture me! Hmph!" The Old Kai grunted.

"We all have to fight for the ones we love!" Serena said happily, all of her tears gone. "Who else can we depend on?"

"You're right Princess Serenity!" The Supreme Kai smiled at her. "Heroes should be home grown!"

* * *

"AHHHH! URRGGHHHH!" Sailor Veneficus shouted, still keeling over in pain.

"What's wrong?" Gohan asked. "I thought you were gonna beat my ass." He taunted with a frown.

"I'll beat your ass boy!" Sailor Veneficus shouted and rushed toward Gohan again. Gohan countered her punch and smacked her in the face, sending her flying back into the ground, creating a ditch along her way. He smirked and casually walked toward her fallen body.

* * *

"I don't believe this!" Sailor Neptune gasped. "He's not even a Super Saiyan and he's picking her apart!"

"I know!" Uranus answered without looking at her lover. "But…how! A power increase of this magnitude it's…it's _inconceivable_!"

Sailor Veneficus gritted her teeth and got up, dusting her sailor outfit off.

* * *

"Well? Let's go!" Gohan said with a confident walk and smirk. "What're you waiting for?"

Sailor Veneficus nervously sweat as Gohan dematerialized. The next thing she knew, she was screaming in pain as Gohan reappeared, his boot planted in her stomach and a grimace on his face. Gohan followed it up with another kick to her face.

"AHHHH!" Sailor Veneficus staggered back.

Gohan dematerialized and reappeared, smashing her left cheek with a hook. She bounced on the ground once before Gohan grabbed her long black hair and began to twirl her around. Sailor Veneficus screamed with widened eyes as Gohan gritted and spun her at high speed. He released her right in the direction of the gathered Sailor Soldiers.

"LOOK OUT!" Sailor Vesta shouted with bewildered eyes. Even Uranus and Neptune bugged out as they haphazardly got out of the way of the flying body. The entire crew smiled in glee as Sailor Veneficus loudly crashed into the ground.

"Gohan! You're incredible!" Krillin was shouting and laughing in joy.

Gohan looked toward his friends and immediately frowned. "Watch out!" He warned.

Everyone gasped when Sailor Veneficus rocketed into the air and chanted in incantation. Gohan widened his eyes as he saw a Frieza-like Death Ball appear above Sailor Veneficus, and it grew very large.

"Oh no!" Sailor Ceres shouted.

"Remember what that did last time?" Sailor Jupiter said with a nervous sweat. "Look how big it is!"

"I don't wanna be fried!" Sailor Pallas cried.

"HAHAH!" Sailor Veneficus grinned with a near-insane laugh and expression. "Try and save your friends boy! FLAMESTONE!" She shouted in glee and threw the large boulder-sized flaming ball down at the gathered heroes.

Gohan grimaced and rushed over to his friends with astounding speed. To everyone's shock he placed his hands outward, catching the stone before it hit the ground.

Everyone gasped and looked on at the scene with widened eyes. Across the battlefield, Betelgu was looking on with a nervous grimace.

"It's so hot…!" Tuxedo Mask said and tried to shield himself from the heat of the Flamestone. "How is he doing this…?"

"Gohan!" Krillin shouted in concern, his face feeling singed by the intense heat.

Gohan gritted his teeth as he felt his feet being pushed back and down into the ground by the momentum of Sailor Veneficus' Flamestone. The Sailor Soldier of the Astravul was still cackling in the sky. "HAAAAAAHHHH!" Gohan powered up, a white flame surrounding his body and chunks of rocks kicking up due to his power up. "HAAAHHH RAHHH!" He shouted and hurled the rock back into the sky toward its owner.

* * *

"NO WAY!" Betelgu cried out in involuntary disbelief.

* * *

Sailor Veneficus widened her eyes and rushed to dodge the Flamestone. The flaming rock exploded high in the air, releasing huge flames in all directions and covering the area in intense heat.

"GAH!" The Sailor Quartet cried out and tried to shield themselves from the heat.

Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu did the same silently, with the others following their lead. Only Gohan stood completely un-phased. Before the after-effect of the Flamestone even cleared up, Gohan rocketed into the air at high speed, eliciting yet more gasps from the onlookers.

"What?" Sailor Veneficus sounded dejected when Gohan sped right behind her while the flames still scorched the sky.

As the flames cleared, she felt the back of Gohan's fist on her cheek, sending tremendous force into her and causing her to crash to the ground in a second, rocks kicking up along with her impact. Sailor Veneficus stumbled out of the crater that was created and looked at the heroes in front of her menacingly, smiling with visible missing teeth. She laughed like a crazy person would laugh, but still worried and startled the onlookers.

"I'm gonna slice all of you up!" She laughed hysterically, the missing teeth becoming even more visible. "Especially you Tuxedo Boy! AHAHAHAHAH!" She formed a black ball of magic in her hands, charging it and reducing it to the thinness of a razor, very much like Krillin's Destructo Disk. "HAHAHA!"

"Oh no!" Gohan grimaced and vaulted downward from the sky.

"AHAHAHAH!" Sailor Veneficus continued to laugh as the others cowered before her. "DARK DIAMOND CUTTER!" She incanted to power up the spell.

"GHHHH!" Everyone grimaced, Sailors Venus and Jupiter rushing in front of Tuxedo Mask.

Gohan dematerialized from the air and reappeared in front of Sailor Veneficus, startling her. He grimaced and punched her hard in the stomach, causing her eyes to bug out and the spell to dissipate in her hands as she fell to her knees groaning in pain. She held onto her throbbing stomach.

"That…was for Serena." Gohan frowned over the downed Sailor Veneficus.

* * *

Serena sighed in relief and sank back to the ground. "I swear I'm gonna have a heart attack… Hm?" She noised and glanced to her right to see the faces of her mother and Goku looking at her with smiles.

"Not much longer now." Kibito said, diverting everyone's attention. "Gohan's completely beaten her. It's time to finish her off."

"Don't worry everyone. Gohan'll nip this thing in the bud and everyone will go home safe!" Goku assured.

Everyone gathered closer to the crystal ball, watching and waiting for the climax of the battle.

* * *

"Serena…?" Sailors Venus and Jupiter whispered amongst themselves, wondering what Gohan had meant, but they were interrupted by his voice.

"Give it up, you can't win." Gohan ordered to the downed Astravul.

"GRRRRR!" Sailor Veneficus growled, trying her best to deny the situation before her.

* * *

Scylla and Chimera, the two remaining Sprite Sisters, watched in nervousness on the outskirts of the battle, knowing that the arrival of the familiar Gohan had changed everything.

"The battle is lost…" Chimera commented in shock.

"There's just no way she can win. I don't know how but that Gohan guy got incredibly powerful!"

"It's insane though! How could he have gotten _this_ much more powerful in such a short amount of time!" Chimera wondered.

"We can work it out with Master Mordred. For now, let's get out of here, there's no use in dying here." Scylla answered.

Chimera nodded and the two scurried away, thankful that everyone's eyes were fixated on Gohan and Sailor Veneficus. They took to the air without anyone noticing their absence.

* * *

"RAHHHH!" Sailor Veneficus shouted and tried to attack Gohan. He promptly responded with an elbow to her face and followed it up with a kick that sent her vaulting in the air.

"It's your fault! You hear me Sailor Veneficus? You shouldn't have threatened my planet and friends!" He frowned and cupped his hands, gathering energy. "KA…ME…"

"WAAHHH!" Sailor Veneficus shouted as she still couldn't stop her flight.

"TAKE COVER EVERYONE!" Krillin shouted, knowing what Gohan would be doing.

The crew took off into the distance, hiding behind some boulders.

"HA…ME…HAAAAAAAA!" Gohan finished and released a huge ball of energy at the front of the blinding blue energy beam.

Sailor Veneficus widened her eyes as she saw the huge blue ball rushing at her. "AHHHHHHHHHHH!" She shouted as it consumed her entire body. For a second, she felt it completely rip her body apart, starting at the skin and working down until she died and was rendered ashes in the air.

A second later, the blue wave passed into outer space, and the area was free of the Kamehameha's glow. It took a second more for Gohan's friends to register, but they stepped out of their hiding places and looked on in disbelief.

"Gohan…you did it!" Krillin shouted in joy.

"Way to go Gohan!" Sailor Venus cheered.

"MISTRESS!" Betelgu's voice shouted out stunned as the situation sunk in to him.

Gohan looked toward him and then frowned, turning back to his comrades, startling them. He then noticed the brown pouch still on his belt that Queen Serenity had given him.

"HEY!" He shouted, causing them all to jump to attention. "In case you haven't noticed, this isn't over yet! We've still got work to do!"

The bruised faces of the gathered team looked on, noticing the army that was still gathered around the area.

"URANUS!" Gohan shouted, immediately causing her to shift her eyes toward him. He silently took the pouch off his belt and threw it toward her. She caught it without making a sound, only looking at Gohan curiously.

"Queen Serenity asked me to give those to you. Pass them around; you'll know what to do with them." He told her.

Sailor Uranus opened the pouch to see a shining group of Henshin Wands. Instinctively, she took out the one with Uranus' symbol on it, and then passed the pouch around until every Sailor Soldier had received their respective wand, including the Sailor Quartet. All of them shouted their respective planet's name with the accompanying "Make Up" phrase as they combined the wands with their Sailor Crystals.

Gohan admired the brief lightshows associated with their transformations. All of them emerged with similar outfits, except they all had white boots that stretched to their knees, long ribbons on the smalls of their backs, and differently colored puffs for sleeves, which matched their respective sailor outfits. All of their wounds had visibly healed. Even the non-sailors in the group were healed as a result of the magic.

"Wh…?" Sailor Neptune asked moving about to examine her new outfit.

"Our Eternal forms!" Sailor Venus shouted joyfully.

"I feel great!" Sailor Jupiter smiled.

"We're incredibly stronger than we were before!" Sailor Mercury said.

Gohan's smirk deepened. "Now, let's clean up this mess!"

Sailor Uranus smirked at him, cracking her knuckles, itching for action.

"All together now!" Gohan beckoned and charged forward, quickly followed by everyone else. He stopped at Betelgu. "So, I hear you like picking on little girls." He frowned.

Betelgu quickly shrank and staggered back in fear, mouthing inaudible noises.

"Hey, we're not little!" Sailor Vesta pouted.

"Allow me." Sailor Uranus grinned and took to the air, raising her hands and gathering a large amount of magical energy in her hands. "SPACE TURBULENCE!" She shouted and released a volley of beams at Betelgu.

"GAH!" Betelgu flew back in pain at the impacts.

The Sailor Quartet all nodded at each other.

"JUNGLE ARROWS!" They shouted and released powered up versions of the attack. All four pierced through Betelgu and made him slump to the ground. In a second, his soul left his body.

"Unreal…" Sailor Juno examined herself in disbelief at how much more powerful she was.

"Darien, you stay by me." Gohan ordered, surprising him. He smirked at the Tuxedo-clad warrior The outfit made him laugh when he took a good look at it. "I promised Serena I'd watch your back."

The two young men smiled and nodded at each other, taking to the air, followed by the others. The gathered Astravul watched with fear at each move that Gohan made, while the Numba were too oblivious to realize the danger they were in. Gohan formed energy blasts in his hands and began to spam them over the area, targeting with precision the gatherings of troops. Yellow explosions ensued. The Sailor soldiers all smirked at each other in happiness and began attacks of their own.

Everyone zipped around, explosions accompanied their combined front. In only twenty minutes, the field was cleared and the entire enemy army was destroyed. When it was over, everyone stood over the smoldering field, mourning any civilian losses that had occurred during the entire battle and lamenting the damage to the city and countryside. The triumph of battle was always accompanied by carnage it seemed.

"We'll restore everything with the Dragon Balls no problem." Krillin said with a smile.

Sailor Uranus smiled. "Let's head back to the Lookout."

Everyone nodded at her.

"Gohan." Sailor Neptune beckoned toward him, as he was more distant than the others.

"Hm?" He looked at her.

"Will you be coming with us?"

He smirked. "Of course."

Krillin laughed. "It's great to have you back Gohan!"

"Yeah, I really thought we were gonna get burned back there!" Yamcha followed.

The Sailor Quartet all felt somewhat dejected at their appearance being completely overshadowed by Gohan's.

"It's great to have some new companions in the fight as well." Sailor Uranus smirked at the younger girls, along with Tien, Chiaotzu, and 17, who stood beside his sister with a playful smile.

"Let's go." Gohan waved toward the sky.

All seventeen of them took off into the clear sky, vaulting toward the Lookout.

* * *

**Tumblr: http:/ guardofliberty. tumblr. com/**

**Deadliest Fictional Warrior: http:/ www. /user/ DeadliestFictWarrior**


	28. Sandy Lands and Other Days

**Hello readers! Sorry this update seems a little late but I've had an incredible load of things to do recently, but that's all done and I'm now officially a college graduate. Yay, me. Anyway, I hope you've all had a great holiday season and a smashing new year. Keep on reviewin' and you will be rewarded with many a kind note like this.**

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The people of the metropolis in the desert did not know what to make of the strange-looking travelers as they wandered throughout their town seemingly aimlessly. All of them were dressed strangely, with only the truly gigantic green one somewhat appropriately dressed for a desert environment such as this. The three youngest ones were just as tall as the average Siwaer, while the black-haired girl was taller by a head and the green-haired woman along with the green man were colossal in comparison.

"These guys are looking at us all weird." Trunks frowned as he darted his eyes at the various people gawking at them.

Hotaru looked at the people. They were…rodents, all of them. The adults were no taller than Rini, Goten, and Trunks. The children were truly tiny indeed.

"The people of this planet are all intelligent rodents." Trista explained. "This planet of Sarn is mostly desert- where the oases are, that is where the civilization of the Sarns exists. According to Elder Moori, we're looking for some kind of underground shrine, and legend says that it is well-concealed within the desert surrounding this oasis city of Siwa."

"The shrine is a place of great importance to these people." Piccolo continued.

"Then we'll just ask about them." Trunks resolved and began to move toward one of the shops in the town.

"Trunks!" Trista called out as he opened a door to the shop. The building's color blended perfectly with the sandy streets.

The shopkeeper was startled as he saw a very strange looking person enter his place of business and close the door behind him.

"E…excuse me sir. Are you looking for something?" The shopkeeper asked. It was not often that aliens visited the planet.

"Information." Trunks gruffly replied.

"And what information would you be looking for?"

The store's bell rang as Trunks' five companions came rushing through the door, startling the shopkeeper with their very imposing height.

"More tourists?" The shopkeeper squeaked in surprise.

"We wanted to ask about this underground shrine or whatever it is that's supposed to be near this town." Trunks frowned.

"What? The exact location of the Underground Castle isn't known to most people even here. Certainly no tourist has ever been there." The shopkeeper answered in surprise.

"What's so special about this Underground Castle?" Piccolo asked.

"It's supposed to hold ancient treasures and secrets. Very few are aware of its whereabouts. Only the direct descendents of the Guides know the exact location of the castle."

"The Guides?" Hotaru asked curiously.

"A long time ago, our people needed to find a new planet to call our home as our ancient planet's host star was dying. The Guides were the ones that saved our people and led them to this new homeland. The Underground Castle was originally constructed as the new citadel of the ancient secrets and treasures of our people, and is protected by the descendents of the Guides. Why are you so interested?"

"To make a long story short, the universe is in incredible danger." Trista stated. "And we've come from a far away place because we believe that a treasure that is vital to the universe's being saved is inside this Underground Castle."

"Oh dear." The shopkeeper replied in a very confused tone.

"It's probably very hard to believe, but we really need to get into the Underground Castle!" Rini said with a plea in her voice.

"I wish there was some way I could help." The shopkeeper sighed as he looked down into the girl's watery eyes. "None of us really even know who the descendents of the Guides are that know the way to the Underground Castle."

"Great, now what are we supposed to do?" Piccolo muttered under his breath.

"I am sorry I can't be of much help, but there is supposedly a way to find the Guide in this town."

This caught the traveler's attention.

"Take these." He replied, giving them a lemon and a lime. "It is said that if you put these along with a letter explaining yourselves under the two palm trees at the point where their leafs connect by Siwa Hall, you might just receive a reply from the Guide. Whatever you do, don't wait around for someone to appear, they'll find out you're there, no matter how cleverly hidden you think you are."

"Thanks for the advice." Piccolo muttered for the group as they went out the door.

"Put these under the palm trees?" Rini asked curiously while holding the lemon and lime in her two hands.

"I guess we'll have to give it a try, we have no other leads." Trista said, not noticing that the gawking of the rodent people continued now that they were out in public again.

"We should go find an inn to write the letter and stay the night." Piccolo muttered as he looked around the buildings with thin coverings of sand on their walls.

"I wonder if they'll have beds big enough for us." Hotaru said as she looked around at the people.

"Well, we're probably covered!" Goten replied cheerfully. "You guys are gonna just have to hope!"

"Yeah, I've always wanted to be taller but now my shortness is working in my favor!" Rini chimed.

"Hahahah, I bet you guys are gonna have to sleep on the roof!" Trunks teased the three taller members of their group.

Piccolo grumbled as they found a high-end inn.

"You know, I could sure use something to eat right now." Trunks said to no one in particular as they all walked inside the inn. It was rather nicely decorated with dark and polished wooden walls along with a matching green furniture set.

The innkeeper behind the desk was visibly startled when the imposing group walked in through his door.

"H…hello there!" He greeted.

"Hi!" Rini answered.

"I hope it's possible, but we'd like a room." Piccolo commented in his usual no-nonsense tone.

"Do you have accommodations for…larger than average customers?" Trista asked gently.

"Yes…but it will cost you extra." The innkeeper replied.

Piccolo reached into his cape and focused some energy in his hands. His hand came out with an assortment of very light brown colored bills of paper.

"Here." Piccolo placed the bills on the table, astonishing the four children that were in his company.

After a few seconds of counting the money, the innkeeper agreed to the transaction and called a bellhop to lead them upstairs.

"Enjoy your stay!" He called out.

"Piccolo, how did you do that?" Rini asked with cheer.

"Nameks have the capability to create simple forms of matter such as clothing or in this case, pieces of paper. After seeing money in the previous shop we were in, it was not a big deal."

"Great, so Piccolo can just inflate the money supply at will. I wonder how badly the price mechanism must be messed up in Namek's economy." Trunks muttered sarcastically, which caused Piccolo's face to twitch in annoyance.

"Here you are." The bellhop said and showed them the room. It was spacious enough, with a kitchen and two separate little rooms with three beds each.

Once Piccolo tipped the bellhop and he left, the group converged.

"I suppose now's as good a time as ever to write the request that that guy told us about." Hotaru said.

"I'll do it." Trista volunteered. She went over to a table and took one of the customary notepads that hotels left on their desks.

_To the most esteemed Guide of the city of Siwa._

_What I am about to tell you may be difficult to believe or understand but please be aware that the situation I am about to tell you of is true. The universe is in great danger, and we would not have traveled this far were this not the case. We believe, on the word of Grand Elder Moori of the Namekians, that a piece of the legendary sword the Tyrant's Bane is within the Underground Castle that is important to your people. We have here with us the reincarnation of the heir to the original owner of that blade, the Duke of Tranquility, along with three pieces. We must reconstruct the sword to defeat the danger currently posed by Bashgal's cultists in their attempt to free their master from the Abyssal Void. This may be a lot to ask but it is vital that you get back to us as soon as mortally possible about this. The fate of the universe is riding on it._

Trista proceeded to write down their names and where they were staying.

"I'll go deliver this." She said, placing the note in an envelope and taking the lemon and lime. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

The team watched as Trista flew out the window. It did not take her long to get to her destination. She carefully placed the envelope along with the lemon and lime in the spot indicated and took off, heeding the shopkeeper's word to not stay in the area. It would seem like a very long wait she was sure.

* * *

Hotaru was the first to blink her eyes open in the morning. Her purple irises took several blinks to focus on a small envelope resting upon a desk near her bedside.

"GUYS!" Hotaru shouted, startling Piccolo awake to the point of the Namek's crashing into the ceiling with a startled grit in his teeth. He crashed back down to his bed with a throbbing head. He grunted at the group who looked at him curiously.

"I forgot that Namek's ears were so sensitive, sorry Piccolo." Hotaru said.

Piccolo only continued to grumble.

"Looks like we've got a letter." Goten pointed to the envelope on the table.

"Let me see it." Piccolo immediately took charge and opened the envelope. He began to shift his eyes across the piece of paper and then looked back at everyone who'd gathered in anticipation. "It's from the Guide." He said.

Everyone quickly gathered around to read the paper.

"He says he wants to meet us in the second floor above his store." Rini said aloud.

"A general hardware store." Trunks said, mentally taking note of the location. "Am I the only one who thinks it was creepy how that note got onto the desk?" He frowned.

"Yeah, I wonder how he just got into our room without us knowing, especially Piccolo." Goten said with a very Goku-like expression on his face.

"Whoever it is, the guy is good." Trista said, stroking her chin. "We mustn't underestimate him for a moment."

"Well, should we get going?" Hotaru said, now once again Sailor Saturn.

Everyone nodded and got into their standard fighting and adventuring getups, whether that was through transforming or changing clothes. The six of them opened the nearest window and flew out, Piccolo taking time to close it behind him.

It did not take long for the group of six to reach the directions indicated. They halted and landed in front of a hardware store, but could not see any second story. There were no windows of any kind that would give such a thing away.

"What the hell? Is this a wild goose chase?" Trunks asked angrily.

"Look guys!" Goten pointed out as he was hovering in a back alley to store's left side.

They turned to see the young half-Saiyan pointing toward an isolated door that was perched only on the building's small ledge.

"You'd never see that thing if you didn't know where to look." Piccolo remarked. "This is a sure sign that we're in the right place.

"Let's go in." Hotaru said resolutely as she floated to open the door.

The six adventurers silently went into the building and closed the door behind them. They walked down a dim hallway and opened another door. What they spotted on the other side was a fancily dressed rodent with an ornate turban seated on a leather chair in what looked to be a small library.

"Welcome." The rodent said in a surprisingly deep voice.

"I assume you got our letter." Trista replied cautiously.

"Yes, of course. It was far too specific for me to just ignore. I am Mufasa, the Guide of Siwa. Please, be seated."

The team introduced themselves and the three smaller members were able to sit down- just barely. The three large members were forced to stand, Piccolo especially being forced to lean over slightly to avoid bumping his head on the ceiling.

"So, you need to get into the Underground Castle do you?"

"Yes." Hotaru immediately took charge. "I need that sword piece. It's imperative that the Tyrant's Bane be reconstructed."

"Hold on now. I am unaware if the legendary Tyrant's Bane has a piece that is even within the Underground Castle." Mufasa cautioned.

"With respect, the Namek Grand Elder Moori would not have pointed us in this direction without reason." Piccolo countered.

"Does the treasure within the castle look like these?" Hotaru asked, bringing out her patch and releasing it, dumping the three they'd already collected on Mufasa's desk.

"Ahhh…!" Mufasa gasped with widened black eyes as he peered at the deep purple metallic objects that were laid out on his desk. "This is precisely one of the treasures that is kept in the castle! Then…the rumors are true- the legendary blade that was at the forefront of the Youma Wars all across the galaxy…"

"Then surely you can see that we're not lying." Piccolo said as Hotaru took the three shards and carefully put them away.

"No, this must not be coincidence that you all would show up at the same time monsters have taken up residence in the castle."

This caught the group's attention.

"Monsters?" Rini asked with widened eyes.

Mufasa sighed. "A few weeks ago, monsters began appearing in the Underground Castle. The various cities in the area, including Siwa, have begun defensive preparations if they ever decide to leave the castle's premises. We have no idea what they are, but we know that they are there."

"What do these monsters look like?" Trista asked with a frown.

"They have brown bodies with fangs that make an open mouth, and six tentacles with claws on each that they also use for locomotion. Some are larger than others."

"They don't sound like Numba…" Piccolo said in thought. "Whatever they are, it appears Mordred might not have anything to do with these monsters himself."

"But they must have been active because of the growing power of Bashgal's minions." Trista mused.

"I see. That must be the reason. None of this can be coincidence! If our planet is becoming endangered because of this infestation of the Underground Castle then what you've said is true, and a strong group of adventurers such as yourselves is what we need most now!"

"So what are you saying?" Goten asked.

"I will take you all to the Underground Castle; you can tell me the full story upon the way. If you all can clear the monsters out of there, I will give you the sword shard that you seek."

"Sounds good to me." Trunks replied.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get going!" Rini's cheerful voice erupted and spurred everyone to action. To Mufasa's shock, the pink-haired girl grabbed him and held him close with a big smile on her face.

"Wha- what are you doing? We need to get prepared to walk across the desert!"

"Walk?" Rini laughed.

"Just show us the direction." Piccolo said as he opened the door that they'd all come through, closing it once they were all out.

To Mufasa's astonishment, he was flying in the air.

"Wh…whoa!"

"Show us the way!" Trista said as they sped off into the sky.

* * *

It only took them a few minutes to speed across the desert, and reach the designated spot- it seemed to be an incline in the land surrounded by palm trees.

"Land here." Mufasa ordered.

"But there's nothing down there." Goten said with widened eyes as he followed downward.

The team cautiously watched as Mufasa slowly circled around the indented land. He placed a stone with some engraving at the lowest point of the circular indentation in the sand and scurried back up to the elevation where the rest of the team was standing.

"Passage of fright, lift the sands' tide! Open up wide and let in the light!"

Goten and Trunks stared at each other sheepishly as Mufasa chanted the strange parable, but soon widened their eyes in surprise at the sands' shifting and revealing a large staircase that led deep underground.

"Please, come quickly!" Mufasa beckoned and scurried down the stairs.

Hotaru summoned the Silence Glaive while Trista did the same for her Garnet Rod. Rini held her Pink Moon Stick tightly. Piccolo and the two boys followed silently. Mufasa grabbed a torch and opened a huge set of double doors- even by Piccolo's standards. They were dark brown metal with raised dots all around them and had an ornate symbol in the center between the two of them. Mufasa took an old-fashioned skeleton key out of his pocket and turned the lock, an audible _click_ being heard in the dim and silent hallway. When he opened the gigantic set of doors, the team was even more astonished at what they saw beyond them.

It was a surprisingly well-lit mega dome of a room, one that truly dwarfed anything they'd ever seen before. Within this large chamber stood a complete castle- made of sand.

"Whoa…" Goten said in amazement as he gazed up at the huge structure, complete with towers and windows.

"Mufasa, where is the piece of the sword?" Piccolo asked, even amazed himself at what he saw.

"It's up in the treasure room of the back northwest tower." He pointed at the distant tower on the left. The castle had four in total, two on the left and two on the right, and had front and back towers on each side. "We'll have to go to the top of the other three towers and get the keys out of those rooms first. Only by turning three locks simultaneously can one have access to the treasure room."

"Well, let's get started then." Trista said as she began to walk toward the short but very wide staircase that led up to the castle's front entrance.

"Should we split up?" Hotaru asked as she narrowed her eyes in caution, remembering Mufasa's story about the monsters.

"It would be a big gamble." Mufasa warned. "We don't know exactly what sorts of powerful enemies might inhabit this place."

"We can handle it!" Trunks insisted. "It'll save us a lot more time!"

"Alright." Piccolo made the decision as they all entered the foyer of the castle. "We'll split up into groups of two. Each of us will go into one of the three towers. We'll meet at the back west tower in one hour. That should be more than enough time."

"Small Lady, you come with me." Trista said firmly.

"Ok." Rini nodded and ran over to her longtime friend.

"Small Lady and I will take the front west tower." Trista declared.

"Alright." Piccolo agreed. "Hotaru, you and I can take the front east tower."

"Got it!" She nodded.

"Then I guess we'll take the back east tower." Trunks said determinedly.

"Right, ready to go when you are!" Goten agreed.

"Mufasa, you should go with Trunks and Goten. They might need your guidance around the place."

The two boys sneered inwardly at Piccolo's lack of confidence in them.

"Yes, of course." The rodent agreed.

"Let's go!" Piccolo's voice resounded.

The group split up, darting through the huge foyer to the directions of their respective towers.

* * *

Trunks cautiously opened a set of wooden doors and stepped into a hallway, followed by Goten and Mufasa.

"I wonder how long these torches have been lit for." Goten said in astonishment at the rows of lit torches along a dim and long hallway.

"Keep your eyes focused ahead!" Mufasa admonished. "There could be monsters anywhere!"

"I'm not afraid of any monsters!" Goten whispered, the Saiyan in him eager for a fight.

"Just walk quietly to the end of that hallway!" Mufasa said.

Goten and Trunks both walked slowly and cautiously, using their eyes to scan for any movements of shadows, their ears to hear any disturbances, or even their skin to feel any odd vibrations in the air. They could not sense any energy, either physical or ethereal in this room. After an orchestra of slow, deliberate steps, they reached the end of the hallway. At the end they came upon a very narrow bridge of tiles that led to a gently spiraled staircase. The bridge was no more than one tile wide and the drop to blackness below seemed to go on forever.

"Not a problem when you can fly!" Trunks grinned to Goten in triumph.

As Goten was agreeing with him and placing Mufasa on his back, a loud bang was heard throughout the room. Less than a second later, a swarm of the brown tentacled monsters that Mufasa described earlier swarmed around the room, coming from all sides of the wall.

"Great, so they aren't stupid! They waited for us to be at the most narrow portion of the room!" Trunks growled.

"Let's just blast e'm!" Goten said and charged a yellow ball of energy in his hand.

"NO!" Mufasa said and grabbed Goten's back, causing the young half-Saiyan to jerk his head back even as the monsters were approaching. "You can't fire blasts in here!" He admonished. "You'll wreck the castle!"

"Keep them low-powered then- just enough to fry these guys!" Trunks said. "HA!"

His yellow blast hit its mark- right in the face of an incoming monster. The beast let out a low monstrous yelp and collapsed to the floor, still smoking.

"Just like that!" Trunks smirked in triumph.

"Oh, I see!" Goten grinned and fired his own blast, hitting his own mark.

Mufasa was astonished as Trunks and Goten worked as a pair, each taking one side of the gathering of monsters to blast the groups effortlessly into fried road kill.

"UAH!" Mufasa called out in fear when one of the creatures jumped down off the wall toward him.

Goten quickly turned and kicked it in the face, his booted foot going through the beast's entire body. The creature yelped and fell in death. Trunks grimaced and elbowed one that tried to get the drop on him, sending it crashing and splattering into the wall.

"The Castle!" Mufasa said in an outburst of grief as he saw the mess the two youths were creating.

"What's more important, the castle or our lives?" Trunks asked with a frown as he scattered his shots at his targets, frying all of them.

Goten grimaced and shot more blasts. Eventually, the two young half-Saiyans whittled the monsters away until they were all dead- either fried or splattered on the walls and floor.

"It looks like they know how to suppress their energy!" Goten observed.

"Come boys! We must hurry!" Mufasa beckoned.

Goten and Trunks with the rodent in tow took off to the air and flew across the narrow bridge and then up the stairs. They went through to the next area.

* * *

Piccolo and Hotaru opened a door that led to a fairly long and moderately wide area that was at the bottom of a set of steps. There were three alcoves with iron bars blocking entry and then another door that led out of the area. Hotaru and Piccolo took off toward the door at the end of the hallway. They landed and looked up at the rather large portal- there were no knobs or anything that would obviously open it.

"It looks like a sliding door." Hotaru observed.

"But no way to open it." Piccolo said. "We could blast it down of course, but that wouldn't do well for our relations with the people of this planet."

Hotaru looked into the separate alcoves, seeing that there was a crystalline object of some kind in the nearest one to the stairs.

"It looks like this room is some kind of puzzle." Hotaru said, looking back at her companion.

Piccolo floated over to where she was and spotted the crystalline protruding out of the floor. "Alright." The Namek said, pondering what to do next. "How do we get past these bars to investigate?"

Hotaru looked around and then widened her eyes when she saw something on the ceiling. "Piccolo, look!" She pointed up.

The Namek spotted a similar crystalline object on the ceiling right above them. He immediately floated up in the air to investigate it.

"What would something like this be doing here?" Piccolo muttered out loud, tapping it once with his fist.

To his and Hotaru's surprise, the crystalline object lit up yellow upon his tapping it, and the bars Hotaru stood next to opened up.

"Of course!" The purple-eyed girl said in confirmation. "It's a switch!" Hotaru rushed into the now open alcove and tapped the next crystalline with the bottom of the Silence Glaive. It lit up yellow and opened up the second alcove, which she and Piccolo ran in to.

"This next one isn't that obvious, but it's got to be in this alcove somewhere." Piccolo said as they began to look around.

"Here it is!" Hotaru smiled as she pointed toward a wall with an indent. Hidden within the shadows stood the crystalline switch. She tapped it with the Silence Glaive and it lit up the dim place it was in. "This isn't so hard!" She cheered as she ran into the third alcove with Piccolo behind her.

"But where's the one in here?" Piccolo asked, reprimanding her for speaking too soon.

Nothing was showing in this room. No switch, no funny indentations in the wall- nothing but an empty alcove.

"There needs to be something in here." Hotaru said with narrowed eyes. "I'll take the left side of the room, you take the right."

Piccolo agreed without any words, and they began to inspect their respective sides of the alcoves' walls. Piccolo grumbled as he saw nothing conspicuous that would give him a lead. When touching a part of the wall near the center of it, his ears perked up by a funny sound that accompanied his hand motion. Piccolo moved toward the end of the particular tile he had his hand on and saw that it wasn't clearly plastered to the castle's wall at that end. He pulled the tile back and it revealed a grey, patterned knob. To his surprise however, it would not move when he tried to turn it- something seemed to be locking it.

"Hotaru!" Piccolo called.

The purple-eyed girl turned back toward him in curiosity.

"Go to your side of the wall exactly opposite of me." He ordered.

She nodded and proceeded, spotting the different tile. She pulled it back and revealed a second knob on her own side of the room. They didn't need to tell each other what to do as Hotaru leaned the Silence Glaive against the wall to grab the knob with her other hand. Each of them turned the knobs backward at the same time. The far wall of the alcove then opened up, revealing the crystalline switch behind it. Hotaru smiled and rushed toward it, grabbing the Silence Glaive. She gently tapped it and both of them could hear the door in the main room open up.

"Well, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Hotaru smiled.

As soon as she and Piccolo were out of the alcove however, they widened their eyes at the swarm of monsters that had appeared through the open portal and stood there now, growling at them.

"Guess we forgot about something…" Hotaru said as she readied the Silence Glaive.

One of the monsters rushed Piccolo. He easily dodged its tentacle and blasted it from underneath its belly, frying it. Piccolo next spun and kicked one into the wall with such force that its body splattered apart, leaving a trail of green blood staining the sand-colored wall. Piccolo grunted and began to fire low-powered blasts at the gathering creatures, frying them accurately.

Sailor Saturn widened her eyes when one of them appeared right in front of her and raised the Silence Glaive in defense. She struggled for a second or two with the beast, and then used her boot's heel to kick him in the eye, causing the beast to shriek. She finished it off with a Silence Buster blast from her glaive.

"Finally that ridiculous heel on your boot comes in handy." Piccolo smirked at her.

Saturn sliced the next one in half with the Silence Glaive and immediately readied her next attack against her latest target. She used another Silence Buster. The bright blue spiral blast destroyed it.

"SCATTER SHOT!" Piccolo yelled as he deployed a huge array of yellow blasts, each of them hitting their targets precisely.

Sailor Saturn jabbed the Silence Glaive into one of the creature's eyes, the weapon going all the way through its body and coming out the other side. In what would be a surprising show of strength to one that didn't know her well, she then lifted the impaled creature up and over her head and then smashed it to the floor, removing her weapon from the monster at the end of the motion. Saturn then jumped into the fray, swinging the Silence Glaive in one fluid motion that cut down three of the monsters. Piccolo watched her back and blasted the rest of the incoming creatures.

"I couldn't sense their energy." Hotaru frowned over the piles of corpses.

"No, neither could I. And they waited for the perfect moment to strike." Piccolo followed. "They're not mindless beasts."

"Let's get going." Hotaru said and ran through the doorway to the next area, followed by her large green companion.

* * *

"Wow!" Rini said as she and Trista stood atop a balcony overlooking a large square room. A large window surprisingly let in a lot of sunlight, even though the castle itself was very deep underground. Truly, this castle was an engineering marvel, a testament to the Sarns' capacity as builders. The two Sailor Soldiers did not need to take the stairway to their side as they jumped off the balcony and floated down to the center of the room instead.

Trista turned her head to the left and saw a darkened door that obviously led to the next area, but there was no obvious way to open it.

"Trista, look!"

The green-haired woman turned to look where Rini was pointing. It was on the wall just above the door. It had what looked like a symbol on it. She then turned to see that there were four separate statues with mirrors in their centers that were placed on the corners of the large room's floor, one of which- the top left one, already had sunlight shining on it.

"I know what we need to do." Trista declared. "Rini, go to the mirror at the top right, opposite to that one." She pointed and then darted over to it.

The pink-haired girl nodded and floated over to the mirror Trista told her to go to.

"Alright Rini! I'm gonna push this mirror until it reflects light on your own. When you see that, I'm gonna go to the one opposite you on the bottom right of the room."

"Ok!" Rini agreed.

Trista saw a handle on the mirror and she began to slowly push it until the sunlight was clearly reflecting to Rini's mirror.

"There's one, Rini, you should have figured it out by now!"

"Yes!" Rini agreed as Trista floated over to the bottom-right mirror. The pink-haired girl pushed the large mirror in the mobile stone carving with all her strength. It began to budge from its position, little by little, until she began to turn it freely. She lit up in delight when she saw a beam of light reflect from her mirror to the one Trista stood by now, with a clear line of light between the three statues engraved with mirrors becoming clear.

"Alright Rini, go over to the fourth one." She beckoned.

The pink-haired girl happily obliged, thinking that this puzzle was fun. She received Trista's beam of light from the third mirror and turned her own mirror toward the opening above the doorway. With a few more pushes, she the sunlight entered the opening, and the door lifted open, revealing the next area beyond it.

On the other side was a swarm of the monsters Mufasa had warned them about.

"Small Lady, stand back!" Trista, once gain taking up combat as Sailor Pluto warned as she shuffled the young girl behind her. The Guardian of Time grimaced as she jabbed the bottom of the Garnet Rod into the eye of one of the creatures, the weapon coming completely out the other side. The creature yelped as its blood was shed on the floor and then died.

As Sailor Pluto was kicking the creature off her staff, another one of them rushed up and tried to outflank her.

"PINK LADY'S FREEZING KISS!" A high-pitched voice called out and suddenly the creature was frozen in ice and shattered on the floor.

Pluto grinned back at Chibi Moon.

"Dead Scream!" She called and vaporized one of the creatures with the purple orb of energy that erupted out of her Garnet Rod.

The creatures jumped toward them, but Pluto and Chibi Moon jumped into the air, using their various energy attacks against them before the monsters were able to hit them. Some of them tried to jump toward the walls and bounce off with a trajectory that would allow them to reach the Sailor Soldiers, but they were blasted before they had the chance.

The two Sailor Soldiers landed and looked over the piles of corpses.

"Looks like they were smart enough to try and ambush us." Rini observed. "I wonder if the others have had the same encounters."

"Yeah, and they can suppress their energy too." Trista observed. "You fought well, Small Lady." She smiled.

"About time someone would let me fight!" Rini crossed her arms and squinted with constricted eyes and a sweat drop.

"I guess that training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber paid off!" Trista laughed.

"Now let's get going!" Rini resolved.

Trista laughed as Rini went through the open door and bounced up the wide and low spiral staircase on the other side of it, quickly following her.

* * *

"We're getting close." Mufasa said to Trunks and Goten as they were in yet another dark room with narrow walls and a low ceiling.

"What the…? I hear the sounds of blades." Trunks muttered, referring to the low hum of blades cutting through the air that his above average Saiyan hearing detected in the room. It was then that they made out a number of blades slicing from floor to ceiling and back.

"What is that?" Goten asked in disbelief.

"Magnetic blades to prevent intruders from entering the tower." Mufasa explained. "Follow me."

Goten and Trunks began to follow Mufasa when after a few steps, they saw a swarm of creatures appear.

"Gah!" All of them cried out at once.

It was even more of a surprise when the torches lighting up the room went out.

"Uhhhahhh!" Mufasa began to panic.

"Hey Goten, looks like we'll need to generate our own light!" Trunks said confidently in the dark.

"Yeah, let's do it!" Goten agreed.

Suddenly, Mufasa went from panic to surprise when he saw Trunks and Goten emerge from the darkness with glowing golden auras around them, their hair and eyes completely changed to look like golden torches with blue-green orbs. They lit up the entire room.

"What is this!" He asked in complete shock.

"Sorry Mufasa, but our patience is running out!" Trunks said.

Goten nodded and followed his friend. Together they unleashed a huge volley of energy blasts, incinerating both the magnetic blades in the room and the creatures that sought to take advantage of the narrow, confined space.

"You can repair those!" Goten insisted.

"Let's hurry!" Trunks took Mufasa's hand and sped through to the next area and up the tower. The door at the top of the long spiral staircase was ornate but unlike many others they'd encountered, it had a knob which opened it. Mufasa yelped when he saw what lay at the other end of it.

What he saw was a much larger than average creature, who's claws could easily swipe a man of Piccolo's size in two.

"Stand back!" Goten ordered.

Both he and Trunks got in front of Mufasa, their golden auras flaring again.

"Kamehameha!"

"Big Tree Cannon!"

Both boys released their powerful attacks at once- and the blue and yellow blasts completely destroyed the monster before it could even so much as move to attack them. Mufasa was stunned once more.

"You boys really are something!" He grinned and rushed to the tower's north wall. Underneath a banner between two windows, he pressed in a brick, and another one slid out, containing a carved tray within it that held an ornate key. "Come boys; let's go to the back west tower!"

"Finally!" Goten grinned and followed Mufasa along with Trunks, both boys powering down to normal.

* * *

Piccolo and Hotaru went up the large stairway toward the top of the front east tower. Each of them cautiously looked at their surroundings. They had run into more creatures along the way, but they were nearing their goal. Hotaru's foot suddenly sunk more than usual.

"Piccolo, stop!"

The Namek looked back at her in curiosity.

"This looks like a switch of some kind." Hotaru said as she pressed her foot down and up again.

"Wonder what it's for…?" Piccolo wondered.

A low rumbling noise filled their ears and bid them to turn their heads. It was soon followed by the ground shaking beneath their feet.

"What the-?" Hotaru burst out in surprise.

A huge rock rolled down the wide stairway coming right toward the two.

"A BOULDER!" Piccolo shouted in surprise. He then quickly regained his senses and blasted the thing apart with ease. It was reduced to shards and dust.

"Looks like they set a lot of traps to keep out undesirables. Too bad we were mixed in with them by virtue of our ignorance of this castle." Hotaru mused as the two continued their trek up the stairs.

"Looks like we've come to the top of the tower." Piccolo declared and opened the ornate door slowly, expecting a monster to be inside.

Nothing was there.

Hotaru walked in and searched throughout the room, finding nothing except a banner at the north end in-between two windows. Piccolo walked to the banner and instinctively pushed the brick directly underneath it. Both he and Hotaru smiled as he grabbed a key out from the tray carved into the brick.

"Let's just hope the others have fared just as well." Hotaru smiled.

* * *

Pluto blocked an attack of one of the creatures with her Garnet Rod. She glanced back and saw Sailor Chibi Moon belatedly dodging the sharp claws of the creatures attacking her.

"SMALL LADY!" She called out in concern.

Sailor Chibi Moon flew in the air and shot a Pink Sugar Heart Attack at her assailant, bludgeoning his eye and then vaporizing him with the energy. She then froze and shattered a bunch of other ones with Pink Lady's Freezing Kiss.

Sailor Pluto smiled at her companion and booted her own assailant away, smoking him with Dead Scream. She then took the Garnet Orb off the top of her staff. "Chronos Typhoon!"

The wind she sent forth tore the remaining creatures to shreds.

"Come Small Lady, let's go!"

"Ok!" Rini agreed and followed.

The two ran up a large and wide spiral staircase, coming to the top of the front west tower. They nodded at each other when they came upon a door and slowly opened it. To their surprise, nothing was waiting for them on the other side, and they'd been harassed by monsters a lot since the mirror room.

"Look at this." Rini said as she walked up to a banner at the north end of the room between two large windows. "But there's nothing else here."

Trista darted her eyes around. "Mufasa said that the key was in this tower, so it's here somewhere. She searched around under the banner and found a grey brick that looked somewhat different than the others. Trista gently pushed it inwards and another brick beneath it popped out, with a carved-in tray containing the key. Trista smiled at her friend as she took it and reset the brick.

"Come, we need to go meet the others."

Rini giggled happily as the two rushed toward their designated meeting spot.

* * *

Trista and Rini were the last to arrive at the entrance to the back west tower.

"What took you two so long?" Trunks gave a friendly taunt.

"I think we've run into more monsters than you have." Trista answered. "Anyway, are we all ready to go?"

Mufasa, Trista, and Piccolo each held up the separate keys.

"Excellent." Mufasa said as they entered the stairway.

To their surprise, a horde of monsters was waiting for them when they reached the top of the stairway.

"This is really beginning to annoy me!" Trunks grimaced.

"Get them!" Piccolo barked.

A volley of blasts from the team quickly finished the monsters off, and Mufasa marveled at just how strong these six adventurers really were. He could only wonder what sort of other teammates they had back on that faraway planet they were from called 'Earth.'

"Ok." Mufasa gathered their attention. "Each of you with a key, step toward a lock on the doors." He ordered and pointed at the large set of double doors. "The front west tower goes on the left. The front east tower goes in the center, and my key, the back east tower, goes on the right."

Piccolo and Trista looked at each other as they went toward their locks and placed the keys inside them.

"Now on three! One…two…three!"

Piccolo, Trista, and Mufasa turned their keys at the same time and then opened the doors.

"W…wow!" Trunks, Goten, and Rini all hummed when they saw what was beyond them.

It was a room filled with treasure, like something out of an old pirate movie. Stacks of gold and jewels were laid out and various treasure chests were scattered about the room. Many valuable artifacts lined tables and the room's walls.

"Now I see why you've all gone to such great lengths to protect this place." Hotaru mused as she herself marveled.

Mufasa grabbed something under one of the tables and placed it carefully on top. "Here is what you seek." He said as he opened the case.

The team smiled widely as they saw what they'd come for- the unmistakable purple glinted shard of the Tyrant's Bane. Hotaru carefully put her hands on the piece of the sword, and more memories of the war long ago returned to her- this time her exploits alongside her father in the opening stages of the conflict in the outer solar system. She put the fourth piece of the sword in her pouch.

"I hope that that will be of help to you all." Mufasa smiled as he shut the case. "Thanks for ridding this place of the monsters! The other Guides and I will undo any damage they…or you, have caused."

"It will. Thank you." Hotaru replied. "We're sorry about any damage we've done!"

"It's alright!" The rodent laughed, not caring about damages given the result.

"Come, let's take you back to town." Trista smiled.

* * *

"Well, that place would be kinda cool to explore if we weren't in such a hurry!" Trunks smiled later on, after they'd dropped Mufasa off and were back in the air over the desert.

"The Underground Castle was truly an engineering marvel, very beautiful indeed." Trista agreed.

"So, where to next?" Rini asked.

"It's time for us to visit this 'king of the winds' Elder Moori told us about." Piccolo declared.

"We've no time to lose. Who knows what's going on back on Earth?" Trista said with haste. "Let's go!"

She held up the Garnet Rod and all six disappeared into a cloud of grey mist that lingered in the blue sky.

* * *

**Thanks again everyone! Hope you enjoyed the longer than average chapter to make up for my tardiness. Before I leave however, I'd like to pitch forth an idea. Are any of you good at RPG maker? I'm toying with the idea of turning this story into a playable RPG. A DBZ/SM crossover game would be a dream come true for both me and many other fans, and this would be the perfect story to base it on. Unfortunately, I have no talent for these kinds of things whatsoever, so I'm looking for some potential volunteers already good at the program. So, feel free to PM me if you are interested in pursuing this idea!**


	29. The Ash Vampire

Chi-Chi was frantic. Her pacing around the Lookout caused even the more stoic ones there like Dende and Mr. Popo to be nervous.

Luna, Artemis, and Diana watched the scene with understanding. They were themselves in a state of disbelief. When defeat and death seemed completely inevitable even with the help of reinforcements, along came one person that not only snatched that defeat away, but rallied everyone and routed the enemy army in a crushing victory. Such a complete and sudden reversal of fortune was not something to be taken lightly, and Gohan's reappearance gave a new fire to the resistance. He was a much needed light when Hotaru's team and Sailor Moon were still gone.

"I hear them!" Bulma said as she heard sonic booms in the distance.

Chi-Chi rushed toward the front of the Lookout's main building, followed by everyone else. The light of their auras was clearly visible now.

"Hey! There they are!" Master Roshi said cheerfully.

The first to arrive were the newcomers of the Sailor Quartet, who were immediately astonished at the place as soon as they landed. They were followed by some of the more regular visitors to the place. 17 landed slowly and smirked at the elegance of the Lookout- he thought it was funny. The trio of Uranus, Neptune, and Gohan were the last to land.

"G…Gohan…!" Chi-Chi began to cry, disbelieving that her son was standing before her.

Gohan put a bewildered arm around his mother, and then closed his eyes in calmness with a sigh.

"Gohan…"

Gohan opened his eyes and looked to see Videl standing before him, sharing a reserved smile. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Gohan smiled, releasing his hold on his mother.

"Well of course he's fine!" Master Roshi cheered. "He just kicked some serious butt down there!"

"He's right! That's my grandson!" The Ox King cheered secondly.

"Hi Gohan! That was incredible!"

Gohan smirked to see a grey cat talking up at him.

"Yes, I was terrified of your power when I saw you at the World Tournament, but now I know better than to fret about the label 'Saiyan!'" Luna followed her future daughter in praise.

"Way to go, kid!" Artemis cheered.

"Hey, we helped too you know!" Sailor Pallas pouted, feeling her efforts as well as those of the others were being completely overshadowed.

"Everyone here is a hero." Dende smiled and joined the rest of the crew on the atrium. "You all stood up to grave danger for all the innocent people on this planet and in this universe."

"So, what should we do now?" Lita asked.

"Well, you all just fought a huge battle, so rest would be the best thing for now." Dende suggested with a smile. "Mr. Popo has a big meal in the oven that's nearly finished."

"I could sure go for that right now!" Gohan suddenly burst in excitement. "I haven't eaten anything for over twenty four hours!"

This caused the entire gathered group to laugh off the tension.

"Like father like son." Chi-Chi sighed as she took joy in the return to normalcy.

"Come now, our victorious warriors!" Mr. Popo beckoned. "The food should be ready soon!"

Krillin held his daughter in his arms and smiled widely, walking with all due haste into the Lookout's main building.

* * *

An hour or so later, Gohan, Amara, and Michelle emerged from the building and back outside, standing in the entrance for a while and gazing out at the rows of palm trees. Everyone was now in civilian clothing.

"For a while I never even thought I'd see this place again." Michelle gently smiled as she once again took in the places' beautiful surroundings, further resolving to create a series of paintings once this mess was finished.

"You really did save all our butts back there Gohan." Amara smirked at him. "By the way- how did you get so strong?"

* * *

Gohan looked at her with curious eyes and then smiled.

"I see. So breaking the Z Sword and releasing the Elder Kai actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise." Michelle said as she, Amara, and Gohan stood near the Lookout's edge, looking out to the sky and the earth down below.

"Exactly." Gohan answered.

"It's funny how things turn out sometimes." Amara smirked. "Anyway, we can't celebrate for too long. Mordred is still out there and he's no doubt beginning to plan his next move."

Gohan frowned. "I should definitely be able to take him on now. But still…we don't know how many troops are gonna be there this time. We know he hasn't slouched in raising Numba, and even though I killed their princess, we can't count out the Starchild mercenaries. I'd take a good bet that there are more of them on the way."

"We're going to have to train and prepare." Michelle said resolutely. "This is just the calm before the next storm…and even with you here, Gohan, the seas are saying that the next storm will be much bigger than the last one was."

Gohan took a few seconds to remember what had happened to him the last time he faced Mordred- the instances of being struck by Mordred's punches, blasts, and magic, each of them very painful, followed by the attack that nearly killed him flashed into his mind. He absorbed those memories with his newfound training and power, readying himself mentally for the showdown that was inevitable.

"Let's just hope that Hotaru and Serena are back by that time, Gohan." Amara said. "Because with you, Sailor Saturn with the Tyrant's Bane, and Sailor Moon's new powers in her Eternal form and as Queen Serenity's rightful successor, we should have more than enough power to destroy Mordred and end this threat once and for all."

Gohan and Michelle each gave her hardened looks. All three quickly turned their head to hear a soft patter of footsteps approaching their position. Each of them saw a Videl with shyness strewn about her face approaching them. They turned back toward her, Gohan smirking, showcasing his new attitude.

* * *

Vegeta and Rei overlooked a fortress from the top of a mountain. Encounters with people in the Forbidden Zone- strange people called "Dreamers" that often attempted to fight the pair (always unsuccessfully) had lead them to this location.

"I should be able to do a fire reading in that place, and hopefully get a lock on this Dagoth Ur's location. And let's do try and be a bit discreet? Do you think you Saiyans can do that once in your li-?" She cut herself off before finishing the word 'lives' as they were not alive anymore.

Vegeta laughed, not sensing any elevated power levels, physically or magically on the premises- at least not any that should make them worry.

"Fine then." Vegeta mockingly bowed with a smirk. "We'll do things your way."

Rei sighed, knowing that it was Vegeta's nature, so she did not reply. She was just happy that he was cooperating. The two silently jumped down the cliff they stood on to the ground level, creeping up toward the fortress and watching the patterns of the guard corps. All of them chanted erratic words in erratic patterns. They had grey skin and somewhat pointed ears along with red eyes.

"I swear they look like a bunch of zombie elves." Rei observed. "I wonder what happened to them."

Vegeta chuckled and smirked. "They caught the stupid disease, though such a thing is not uncommon."

Rei frowned. "There are several entrances. We'll keep to the shadows and move in as soon as the guard shift moves."

Vegeta only chuckled some more, keeping the whole thing completely casual and entertaining to him. Once around fifteen minutes had passed, the guards changed shift, and the two darted toward the entrance, keeping under cover. Rei opened a side-door with Vegeta watching the area in front of him. She headed inside and Vegeta backed into the portal, closing the doorway behind him.

"With all this sneaking around you'd think we were a bunch of weaklings!" Vegeta huffed as he turned back toward his companion.

"Let's just find a place where I can do a fire reading and get out of here. It's a lot more efficient that way." She sighed. "Remember to keep your power low."

Vegeta only continued to smirk and chuckle, following Rei and treating the exercise like it was a game. Rei peeked out of a corner and saw one of the Dreamers stride past and go into a different room.

"Oh come on!" Vegeta grumbled. "You don't even know where you're going! Let's just clear this place and do this damned fire reading!"

Rei's head was beginning to pulsate in irritation, and it took everything she had to keep herself from shouting at the pigheaded Saiyan standing behind her. Keeping her temper in check, Rei noticed a turn to the right at the end of the adjacent hallway that seemed to lead to some stairs. Rei's eyes carefully darted to and fro, paying attention to the guards to look for a pattern, a lull in their shifts. She quickly spotted this and signaled to Vegeta, who followed her as they speedily hovered down the hallway and went toward the stairway that was now in view and then floated down the stairs, not making a sound or being seen by anyone.

"At least we've managed to stay out of the main area of the fort." Rei observed, seeing that they were in some kind of downstairs vault that stored the Dreamer's equipment.

"What is this?" Rei asked, inspecting some of the items. "Ritual equipment?" The sight reinforced what she and Vegeta had seen about the Dreamers being part of a strange cult.

"Well? Stop looking and do your damn fire reading!" Vegeta lowly growled.

"Alright alright!" Rei huffed.

Suddenly, a few footsteps were heard quickly scurrying down the steps, and a second later, the astonished red eyes of a dreamer met with the same expression in the dark violet eyes of Rei along with the cold black of Vegeta.

"Wh…" He opened his mouth to speak but was quickly cut off by Vegeta, who punched him in the face hard enough to send him crashing into the declining wall. He bumped his head hard on the part where the wall inclined toward the floor and was knocked unconscious.

"Think you could keep it down?" Rei frowned, knowing that Vegeta took delight in the hit.

Vegeta only snickered as Rei finally prepared to do her fire reading, but as she was about to start a fire, a whole chorus of footsteps sounded throughout the steps behind the two. Both of them turned their heads to see a large group of Dreamers standing directly behind them.

"Great." Rei spat.

"Perfect." Vegeta snickered. "I was tired of all this sneaking around anyway!" He said as he formed blue orb of energy in his hand.

"Vegeta!" Rei snapped. "You're gonna wreck the place!"

"Oh yes, please go ahead and fire that thing. It should be a fun exercise."

That voice made Rei's blood go cold. Even Vegeta made a surprised face as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

Out of the dreamers came a taller one, with the same ash grey skin and red eyes, but had some kind of weird headpiece and a beard.

"Who are you?" Vegeta bellowed somewhat involuntarily.

"I am the master of this fortress. Ash Vampire Dagoth Gilvoth at your service." The newcomer grinned. "It isn't often that we have strangers in Lord Voryn's lands. "My, I wonder what brings you to this place."

"We want to see Dagoth Ur and ask him a question." Vegeta immediately answered. "And if he doesn't answer us we'll beat the shit out of him until he does!"

Gilvoth laughed. "Lord Voryn Dagoth doesn't just make appointments with any random stranger that wanders into the Forbidden Zone. I'll see to it that you unwelcome guests never get a chance to speak with him." Gilvoth got into a fighting stance, and the other dreamers quickly departed to the sidelines of the scene. Vegeta followed, with Rei standing a few feet behind him also preparing herself for battle.

"RAAAHHH!" Gilvoth shouted as he powered up, and Vegeta and Rei were taken aback by the strange, eerie energy that he emitted.

"Vegeta! Physically he's weak but magically he's very strong!" Rei said as she utilized some of that natural extra-sensory perception she was endowed with along with the ability to sense power levels she'd gained. "Be on your guard!"

Vegeta growled and threw a yellow blast of energy at Gilvoth, but the latter laughed and created a purplish shield around his body. When Vegeta's blast hit, Vegeta himself felt a painful sting in on his own body that sent him sprawling to the ground.

"What the hell?"

"Reflect spell." Gilvoth laughed. "When it's activated a degree of damage is reflected back at my attacker. I've amped mine to one hundred percent." He grinned.

"Damned magician." Vegeta spat. "Fight me like a warrior!"

"Hah! As you insist!"

To Vegeta's surprise, the Dagoth Gilvoth zipped on his feet right past his face. Gilvoth grinned as he faced the astonished Rei with Vegeta's shocked face staring at where Gilvoth had been before.

"Vegeta! Watch it!" Rei shouted. Vegeta utilized his battle instincts and turned Super Saiyan, using the power up's greater speed just in time to dodge an icy hand that would have tapped him where he'd been before. Vegeta looked on from the air, his Super Saiyan aura flaring and dancing about him.

"What the hell was that?" Vegeta asked to himself.

"He could have frozen you and thrashed you to pieces!" Rei said in disbelief at their opponent's eerie power.

"How about you, Miss?" Gilvoth grinned as he peered toward Rei.

The Soldier of Flame grimaced and formed a flame in her hands, preparing for her Fire Soul attack, but she knew that he would react in time and she'd only be burned by the effects of her own fire due to his Reflect spell. She hesitated as the flame went out in her hands.

"Hah!" Gilvoth laughed. "Very smart of you, girl. Now, it's my turn to attack!"

Rei widened her eyes when Gilvoth dashed on his feet to a different point and almost instantaneously released a powerful fireball filled with his negative energy. Rei dodged it just in time, and Vegeta threw an energy blast that collided with the fireball, exploding and dispelling the attack. Vegeta used this opportunity to dematerialize and reappear; rushing at Gilvoth, but his arm was caught, to the Saiyan's surprise. Gilvoth grinned into Vegeta's blue eyes and then electrically shocked the Saiyan Prince.

"AHHHHH!" Vegeta screamed out in pain as electricity transferred from Dagoth Gilvoth to his own body. Gilvoth then threw Vegeta to the ground, and he landed in front of Rei's feet, struggling to stand back up.

"What are you?" Rei asked in caution.

"Ah! Finally an inquisition!" Gilvoth responded. "I am one of Lord Voryn Dagoth's seven chief servants. In my homeland of Morrowind before my death, we were called Ash Vampires."

"We have to attack him somehow, but he's got that Reflect spell!" Rei muttered back.

Vegeta held out his hand and shot a rapid succession of energy blasts. Gilvoth only watched with humor as he sent them away from his person and then dispelled them. Gilvoth responded by rushing on his feet toward Rei and Vegeta with his hands spread outward. He was so fast that he grabbed them both on their heads, then invoked a magical spell that tossed the two to the other side of the room. Both of them landed with a painful thud.

"He's so fast!" Vegeta snarled.

"On his feet he is." Rei observed. "Vegeta! Maybe if we can get him into the air, he won't be so fast. I don't sense much physical energy from him."

"And if we get him into the air?" Vegeta countered. "He still has that Reflect spell!"

"Leave that to me." Rei answered. "Just get him into the air!"

Vegeta stood up, facing the Ash Vampire.

"I can kill you both at once if you like!" Gilvoth boasted.

"GRRRAAA!" Vegeta growled as he powered up to Super Saiyan 2. His aura grew larger and now burst with electricity.

"So you've grown stronger still." Gilvoth said, cautious about the new level of power his opponent was now emitting.

Vegeta growled and rushed forward.

"This again?" Gilvoth laughed, getting into another fighting stance.

Vegeta vanished before he crossed paths with Dagoth Gilvoth.

"What?" The Ash Vampire shouted, surprised.

Vegeta reappeared someway behind his opponent, jetted into the air of the room and unleashed an energy blast at Gilvoth's feet, which caused him to involuntarily levitate. Rei grimaced and took this chance.

"Rin, Pyou, Tou, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen!" Rei chanted while holding up her charm, called an Ofuda. "AKURYO TAISAN!" She shouted lastly, and then charged straight at Gilvoth.

The Ash Vampire widened his eyes as he couldn't react at his opponent's superior aerial speed. The next thing he knew, he had a charm stuck on his head which at once tranquilized his defenses and made him motionless. Vegeta charged into this fray, slamming Gilvoth in the face with a punch that sent him crashing to the floor. Rei and Vegeta landed on their feet. She unleashed a Fire Soul Bird that was combined with powerful blast of energy from Vegeta. The resulting fiery explosion wrecked much of the fortress.

"Damn, exactly what I didn't want to do." Rei sighed.

Vegeta rushed toward the debris and grabbed Gilvoth, menacingly looking into his eyes. Cold blue-green crashed into shocked red. Rei was close behind and knew the other Dreamers wouldn't dare attack the pair.

"Now, you're going to tell us where this Dagoth Ur is, or I'm going to beat you into the ground for eternity!" Vegeta threatened.

* * *

"I am in complete disbelief at your performance!" Mordred boomed to Scylla and Chimera. "My entire army…lost!"

"But Master, you _must_ have felt that power!" Scylla said. "There was nothing we could have done against him!"

Mordred glared, but knew that his minion was right. "We must prepare for the next phase. The next army is being produced on schedule, and more of our Astravul friends are set to arrive."

"Master, you should personally take command in the next march."

"Yes, yes, I suppose you're correct, Chimera." Mordred agreed. "I will personally lead the charge to destroy this planet's opposition and get some order back into our plans." He growled. After a few seconds of silence, Mordred held out his hand and produced a small transparent ball that shone with a hologram image. In it was Gohan, smiling confidently at the last battlefield. "_It makes no sense_." Mordred thought. "_I thought I'd killed that kid. How could he have come back? What's more, how could he have come back to be so much more powerful in such a short period of time_?" He thought some more. "_He wasn't even a Super Saiyan and yet he crushed Sailor Veneficus like a bug! Then he almost single-handedly assured the destruction of my army! What if he goes Super Saiyan with this newfound strength of his? The Supreme Kai must have been involved in this in some way…no doubt, though I thought I'd gotten rid of him too. And where was Princess Serenity, or that brat of hers? Or Sailor Saturn? What is going on here? Oh well, mustn't let myself get carried away, I can only do one thing at a time, and my first task is to take care of Earth's latest 'savior.'_" He continued in his thoughts.

Mordred took a sip of his wine and then flicked his hand at the hologram showing Gohan's face. Instantly the image showed Gohan's face bleeding out a pool of blood.

* * *

**I'm gonna try and update this again within the next couple of days as the one-year anniversary of this fic is only a few days away. I'll try and see you then.**


	30. If One Bell Should Ring

**Would you believe it? Two days ago was the one-year anniversary of this fic's initial upload. I didn't know what to expect when I published this, but one year later this work has over 23,000 hits and well over a hundred reviews. It's also officially the longest story I've ever written, surpassing even the original work I've been doing since late 2008! So thanks to all the readers and reviewers. It's because of you that I'm committed to finishing this. There's still plenty to come! And remember if any of you are experienced in RPG maker or know someone who is; contact me because I'd like to make this into a game.**

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* * *

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As soon as the grey mist departed the four children of the group stood up looking in awe at the palace they stood before. Even Piccolo was taken aback by its impressive stature.

"Who would have known that such a small planet would have such a grand palace?" The Namekian muttered.

"Elder Moori said that the fifth shard piece was here, held by the King of the Winds. He was referring to Aelous, of course, who's had that nickname for ages.

"I wonder if he expects us to just drop in on him?" Goten asked as the group began to walk forward.

"Might we have to go unnoticed until we get to this king?" Hotaru asked. "I don't suppose it'll be too hard for us."

Rini was amazed as they strolled through the garden out in front of the entrance.

"So, how should we play this?" Piccolo asked. "We need to get an audience with the king somehow."

"We'll go forth openly." Trista answered. "And if we're refused we'll simply find another way around it."

"We can always just beat the crap out of anyone that tries to stop us." Trunks muttered. Like his father, he did not appreciate beating around the bush when they easily had the power to accomplish the tasks they set out to do.

The six companions ascended to the top of the staircase that led from the garden to the front entrance of the palace. There, to their surprise the guards began to gasp and murmur amongst themselves at the sight of them.

"Are those really Sailor Soldiers?" Some of them murmured.

"Look, it's her- the one with the black hair! It's gotta be!"

Hotaru's purple eyes darted around in curiosity as she was the one getting by far the most attention out of her group.

Rini, Goten, and Trunks were surprised at the appearance of the soldiers they'd run into. They were all…birds! Walking, talking birds that were about the height of an average man. They all had wings that had flexible feathers at the end which functioned as hands and fingers.

The murmur quickly spread, and out of the palace entrance dashed what appeared to be a captain of the guards. His feathers were red and purple.

"My what a fine day this is!" The red-feathered guard smiled and rejoiced. "The King long predicted that you would arrive and here you are!"

Hotaru widened her eyes as the captain kneeled before her, followed by the other palace guards.

"Ah! The Duchess of Tranquility has finally arrived!" The captain said as he clasped Hotaru's hands. "What a joyous occasion!"

Piccolo took this opportunity to step forward, towering over Hotaru who stood in front of him. "If it's not too much trouble, we'd like an audience with your King."

"Of course!" The bird agreed, standing up again. "Our King Aelous would have no better joy than to see her!" He called one of the guards over and told him to go inform the King of the guests' arrival.

The guard quickly darted off in the direction of the King.

"Please, all of you come inside." The captain beckoned with a bow and led the way in.

"Well…that was easy." Rini said in surprise at the whole thing.

"Just who are you anyway?" Trista asked as they walked through the main hall of the palace, with the children marveling at its architecture.

"I am the captain of the Aer Imperial Royal Guards, and my name is Sparrow." He introduced himself. "And it's my honor to escort the Duchess and her companions through this palace."

"How do you seem to know Hotaru so well, Sparrow?" Trista asked with some caution.

"Oh, well I've never met her personally of course." Sparrow answered. "But King Aelous has told us all the stories of the Youma Wars with Bashgal. He was a member of the Galactic Alliance after all!"

"You mean your king actually lived back then?" Goten asked with surprise.

"That's right, little one!" Sparrow smiled. "The Aer have long life spans. He was a young king then, ascending to the throne in turbulent and challenging times. Now he is a very wise veteran. He will tell you all that there is to know, he's been waiting a long time for this day."

"Wow! Look at that!" Rini said as she saw a magnificent courtyard out a window. Goten and Trunks followed her to the wall of floor to ceiling windows to get a closer look. Outside there were many varieties of trees and flowers, almost like it was a botanical garden in itself.

"That is the King's courtyard." Sparrow explained. "He goes there to relax and contemplate. Perhaps he'll show you around after you see him!"

"Captain!" A few guards called while they rushed out from the distance of the hallway. "King Aelous is ready for the guests!"

"Of course!" Sparrow answered. "Please, follow me!"

The group of six followed Sparrow through a turn to another corridor of the hallway, and then up a small staircase that led to a set of wide double doors. On the other side, they were greeted with a very wide chamber and a small staircase. Atop the staircase stood two thrones. Seated there was a female Aer with magenta feathers, and beside her a male with such deep blue feathers that they thought they could be looking down into an ocean.

"At last!" The blue-feathered one said with a smile.

"Uh…excuse me, but how do you know so much about us?" Goten couldn't help but blurt out.

"I am King Aelous of the Aer and ruler of the planet Aeolia." He introduced himself. "Beside me to my left is my Queen Deiopea."

"How do you do?" The Queen smiled.

"King Aelous." Trista said. "The Namekian Grand Elder Moori advised us to come here to visit you, the 'King of the Winds' because you have a piece of the Tyrant's Bane sword, which we need to reconstruct. We will tell you why if you so inquire."

"Sailor Pluto! It's been so long since I've had your acquaintance!" King Aelous boomed with mirth. "It is truly a pleasure to see you again. We served together in the Duke of Tranquility's army during the war. You may not remember, but I surely do! Yes, I am in possession of the piece you inquire about, and I am keen to the recent appearance of Mordred and Bashgal's threatened return. I will gladly give the piece to you, but first will you all do me the honor of enjoying my hospitality? We have a feast that's just about to be finished!"

"With all due respect sir, time is short." Piccolo answered.

"But I'm so hungry!" Goten objected, eager at the prospect of a meal.

"We could use some food and rest!" Trunks seconded. "If we keep doing this marathon who knows if we'll even be fresh enough when the time comes to fight Mordred?"

"Duchess Hotaru, it would be the pleasure of a lifetime for you to take the place of honor at the feast this evening." King Aeolus said to her. "I have many stories to tell about the old days, who knows- they may help you in your quest."

"It will be my pleasure, King Aeolus." Hotaru smiled, giving the final word for the group.

* * *

"Yes, I served with the Duke of Tranquility in the Youma Wars." King Aeolus explained as the feast began in the dining room. "It's my pleasure that you're here for me to tell this to! It's very uplifting to see the aftermath of Queen Serenity's reincarnation ploy right before your own eyes!" He then took a look at Rini. "You know, you look just like Queen Serenity and Princess Serenity! I didn't recognize you before. Are you related to them?"

"I am Small Lady Serenity." Rini introduced herself in the classy manner in which her mother had always taught her. "But you may call me Rini."

"Small Lady is Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion's daughter from the future." Trista explained. "She is in this time to receive training."

King Aeolus smiled. "It is joyous to see the Silver Millennium's royal bloodline surviving to the next generation. Perhaps we will have a good future after all."

"You said that you served with the Duke of Tranquility in the Youma Wars." Hotaru said, curious.

"Yes." King Aeolus answered. "We knew of the galactic troubles and the war raging with Bashgal's forces. When Queen Serenity began forming the Galactic Alliance to oppose him we wanted to lend our feathers to the cause, however small our help was to be. However we had problems of our own. You see, we were in the middle of a sector where illicit slave trading operations were being carried out."

"What?" Piccolo grunted, surprised.

"Slave trading?" Trista asked in concern.

"Aye." King Aeolus answered her. "There was a local warlord in our sector named Icicluza that ran an extensive slave trade. He would send his forces to outlying systems near here to kidnap "barbarous and primitive" people and then sell them into slavery. He was too powerful for us, and so forced the Aer to give his ships comfort and supplies, or else he threatened we would receive the same fate. Indeed, his organization was the forerunner of the Planet Trade Organization, as Iicluza was the late Frieza's grandfather."

This caused Piccolo to gasp.

"Icicluza was savvy. He didn't want any contact with Alliance forces and didn't pledge to Bashgal either. He'd been discreet in his operations for years, and it seemed the war would hide his activities even further. However, one day a forward force of the Duke of Tranquility's captured a slave ship. Icicluza's operation was exposed, and the Duke of Tranquility went after him, coming to me for assistance. A detachment of the Duke's army went to Icicluza's base of operations and there the two fought. Icicluza was no match for Tranquility, who killed him without mercy, freeing us, and his victims from their slavery."

"I see, so with all the people from the war out of the picture, I suppose it was only natural that Icicluza's descendents King Cold and Frieza would rise to power in the aftermath." Piccolo said, still somewhat taken aback by the story.

"Yes. The Planet Trade Organization couldn't have fallen soon enough. Frieza got what was coming to him when the legendary Super Saiyan finally reappeared on the field of battle."

Images of Namek flashed back to Piccolo. He hadn't seen Goku's transformation or his final fight with Frieza, but knew that Frieza did indeed have it coming.

"The guy that beat Frieza was my dad!" Goten said cheerfully, looking up from his full plate.

King Aeolus laughed. "Well! I wouldn't doubt your word! It's nice to see Saiyans fighting for the freedom of the universe once again!"

"So my father defeated this Icicluza?" Hotaru asked curiously.

"Yes, and as I said, quite easily too." Aeolus answered. "I was there, young king that I was, completely astonished at what I was seeing- or rather not seeing. There was no way I could follow your father's movements. But the effects of his power were easy to see."

Images of the Duke bashing Icicluza with his elbow and casually kicking him away came to King Aeolus' mind, followed by the barrage of physical and magical attacks that were unleashed.

"Never have I met someone as powerful as him." Aeolus continued. "And never have I met someone who was so courteous and gentlemanly. He was ferocious and merciless in combat yet chivalrous off the battlefield. His characteristic confidence and wit was well founded. It was after that incident that I pledged Aeolia to the Galactic Alliance, and we served well in the wars as scouts and light infantry mostly. I was present at Tros where I saw the Duke's sacrifice against Bashgal…" He trailed at the end.

"And now Bashgal threatens the universe once again." Trista said.

"Yes." King Aeolus answered. "But it seems that a new Galactic Alliance has formed within your group! And with the daughter of the Duke of Tranquility taking his place, you should be able to defeat Mordred and stop the menace!"

"We won't let you down, King Aeolus." Trista promised.

"I remember the Duke's fight with Bashgal's priest Dredemore at the battle of Swahen." Queen Deiopea joined in. "That was during the courtship phase of our relationship, Aeolus, and you wanted me to come on campaign with you for support, perhaps even for you to show off to me! Bashgal's forces were commanded by his priest Dredemore, who had powerful magical and psychic abilities. Dredemore was far more powerful than Icicluza could have ever hoped to be, and he wrecked havoc on the left of the Allied line, where Baron Parmenio was commanding and you and your own contingents of light infantry were stationed. Tranquility's plan to draw Dredemore's most fearsome forces toward the center and right of the line succeeded, and the Duke charged through the gap that maneuvering had created, but on the tactical level, this isolated the left, and Dredemore charged toward that part of the line- he'd realized his failure and wanted to do as much damage as he could to save face in front of Bashgal. When the center and right met far behind the Numba line as was planned, a messenger delivered Parmenio's plight, and the Duke raced across the battlefield to the left with only a few troops with him, leaving Baron Mordred and Princess Amara in charge of the center and right. There the Duke fought with Dredemore, devising an ingenious way of putting him down. The Duke cast his Reflect spell, which he mastered so that it would reflect all damage done to the Duke by his opponent back with 100% proportional intensity. Basically he sat there for a while, allowing himself to be beaten up, and then after he was damaged and Dredemore staggeringly so, delivered the coup de grace and finished Bashgal's priest. That fight came down to who could take more hits, and Tranquility won. He of his own will allowed himself to be attacked so Parmenio and his men could reform and reinforcements could arrive."

"Wow!" Trunks said in awe. "Now _that's_ cool! I want to learn Reflect!"

"Me too! Me too!" Goten agreed.

King Aeolus laughed. "A fine story, my wife, and well told. Everyone on that field was a hero. I still remember the clash of arms vividly, but that is certainly something that stands out."

"Wow Hotaru. How do you think you can live up to something like that, huh?" Rini said somewhat casually, but Hotaru's eyes suddenly reverted from a bright tone to a tone of some kind of realization.

* * *

It took Hotaru some time to get to sleep that night. Despite the lovely and lofty accommodations King Aeolus had provided her- her own suite (as well as a suite for her five companions), she now had feelings of doubt- very uncharacteristic of her in battle, after hearing the stories that King Aeolus and Queen Deiopea told her. She did eventually manage to sleep, knowing that she'd need the rest for their continued journey.

* * *

Hotaru woke up when Aeolia's sun shined through her curtains after a dreamless night. She went to take a shower and then put on some casual clothes. She opened the door of her suite and took a look outside in the hallway.

"Duchess?"

Hotaru turned to see King Aeolus looking at her from a few feet behind.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Your eyes have lost some of their hardened confidence I see. That seems to be atypical of you."

"Well…"

"Come." King Aeolus smiled and beckoned with one of his wings. "Let me show you something."

Hotaru widened her eyes in curiosity and followed the king. A few minutes of walking brought them to the courtyard near to the throne room that Goten, Trunks, and Rini found so fascinating the day before. It reminded her of the most serene gardens on Earth or in her previous life in the Silver Millennium, even birds could be heard chirping. Hotaru's mind was able to relax due to the warm weather, the collage of green plants, the blue sky, and the shining sun. King Aeolus led her to a bench in the courtyard and the two sat down.

"Come now Duchess. Let us talk together, you and I." King Aeolus beckoned. "Now, what's on your mind?"

Hotaru looked at the king with a curious frown. "The stories that you told yesterday about the war and my father…"

"Yes, they were overwhelming weren't they? You're wondering how you could ever live up to something like that- which is what your friends are counting on you to do."

"Yes! That's the whole point of reconstructing the Tyrant's Bane!" Hotaru answered. "And so far I've been eager but after hearing that…"

"Hotaru." King Aeolus laughed. "It's natural to have doubts when you have such a shadow standing over you, such shoes to fill, such an example to live up to. But have no fear. You have the power within you; otherwise you wouldn't be on this quest to begin with."

"I just wish I would have more time." Hotaru sighed.

"The time is now." King Aeolus responded. "Unfortunately, you don't have the time to train in your father's style of combat to its full extent. Just rely on the stories I've told you, and the power that you possess. Use the Tyrant's Bane as a catalyst to unlock that power. Remember, the weapon doesn't make the warrior, it's how well the warrior uses that weapon that makes the difference. You already have all the power you need, just let it go and stop worrying about it. Be the Sailor Saturn your friends have spoken of. And speaking of friends, you can always rely on them."

"I suppose I'll only know the answer when the time comes." Hotaru responded. "I just have to keep fighting regardless."

King Aeolus smiled. "Now that's your father talking!" He then reached into his shirt and pulled out an ornate green cloth embroidered with gold that wrapped something inside of it. He gently removed the wrapping to reveal the distinguished purple glint of a Tyrant's Bane shard. "Here you are, Duchess. Take it!"

Hotaru gently reached over and grabbed the piece of the blade. Letting more memories fill her, she clasped her hands around it, and would put it in the pouch with the others when she returned to her room.

King Aelous gently smiled at her.

* * *

Several hours later, after a breakfast, King Aelous, Queen Deiopea, and the Imperial Royal Guards gathered at the entrance of the palace to see their guests off.

"I will tell you where you must go next." King Aeolus informed after they'd thanked him for his hospitality. "You told me that Grand Elder Moori said to you that the sixth piece of the Tyrant's Bane 'is held in a house of ice.'"

"Yes, that's correct." Piccolo answered.

"I know exactly what he meant."

"Thanks but, you don't need to tell us the location, King Aeolus. We already know." Trista smiled.

"Well yes, but I can give you greater details. You're looking for an ancient shrine called the Frozen Mansion." He said. "You'll first enter a town called Shiverton. I suggest you stock up on whatever supplies you need there. Then you'll have to go through Snowflake Valley and up Snowstar Mountain, but since you all can fly I don't think you'll have too much trouble with that. The mansion is atop the mountain. Be very careful once you get there however." He warned. "In recent times the mansion has taken residence of a powerful snow spirit named Kayoko. She surrounds herself with an army of hostile Snow Dancers that will follow her every whim and she will not let go of her control over the region or give up the sword piece willingly. Be especially cautious of her voice and dancing- don't let them put a spell on you!"

"So this Kayoko has set up a petty fiefdom by force huh?" Piccolo inquired. "She sounds dangerous."

"Oh she is, Piccolo, very much so. But if anyone is capable of taking her down, the Silver Millennium's Sailor Soldiers, a powerful Namek, and a couple of Super Saiyans will surely do the job!" King Aeolus said in confidence.

"Let's get going." Trunks spoke up.

"One more thing." King Aeolus beckoned, which caused them to turn back. He smiled when he saw a dashing figure with bright sky blue feathers approaching. Aeolus pat him on the back and turned him toward the travelers. "This is my son Ajax." He explained. "I'm sending him to Earth along with as many troops as I am able to spare- seven hundred warriors to help your team out."

Everyone gasped.

"King Aeolus, we can't possibly ask you to-"

"No Sailor Pluto, it's quite alright." King Aeolus stopped her. "There was once a time when the Aer fought alongside the people of the Silver Millennium, the Saiyans, and many others. I send my son to honor that allegiance."

Ajax smiled at the group. "We will be honored to fight alongside your people once more!"

Hotaru smiled up at Ajax. The group then gave Ajax and his troops the location of the Lookout- where they could hopefully meet up with the others, if they were sill there or alive.

"We really need to get going." Trista said and began to walk away.

"Bye everyone! It was nice to meet you!" Rini waved.

"It was an honor of a lifetime to host your party!" King Aeolus waved. "Duchess, do not forget what was said to you!"

Hotaru smiled and waved back one last time. Then all six of them disappeared into the grey mist from which they came.


	31. Oh to Ride the Wind

**Sorry this has taken over three months to update. I've been busy in post-college life and with other personal projects such as making the RPG for this fic, my webshow Deadliest Fictional Warrior, and other stuff as well. But I told you I am committed to finishing this.**

* * *

Piccolo's cape blew and fluttered in the snowy wind as he and his companions stood on a hill overlooking the town of Shiverton which Aeolus had told them to visit.

"Should we stop here or just keep going?" Hotaru asked.

"I think we should stop here, get some food, and rest, and get some general directions about the area." Trista advised, her long green hair blowing in the wind.

"Yeah, plus it seems like this is only the beginning of a major storm." Hotaru observed as she peered much darker clouds on the horizon, which would bring heavier snow.

"I'm all up for getting out of this cold and eating something!" Goten chimed.

"Let's go into town." Piccolo said.

Off they went into the air, gliding through the flurries of snow into the town. It was a simple town with mostly small, wooden or stone buildings. Travelers could see fires burning indoors and smoke rising from chimneys. Rini thought it very heartening and cozy.

"So, where should we go?" Trunks asked as they were in the air over the town.

"To an inn so we can get things settled." Piccolo answered.

The six of them landed in the middle of the town, with the townspeople looking up in astonishment and even fear as the strange-looking visitors landed, their feet making prints in the snow. Trista immediately recognized the inhabitants, followed quickly by Rini.

Snow Dancers- the same type of beings they'd once faced when Snow Princess Kaguya tried to turn Earth into an ice ball. Piccolo recognized them too. Hotaru, Goten, and Trunks seemed to be in the dark but they'd have it explained to them later.

"They don't appear to be hostile, unlike that other time." Piccolo commented as his eyes darted back and forth, always alert.

"Well, remember King Aeolus told us that this Kayoko was causing terror to the surrounding region in the vicinity of Snowstar Mountain. Perhaps not all of them are bad as we might have thought." Trista responded.

"Excuse me." Hotaru asked one of the nearby Snow Dancers, who was startled by her odd appearance. "Where is the nearest inn?"

The startled Snow Dancer stammered out some directions and the group quickly took off, heading in the proper direction.

"It's like Ismara." Rini said. "Everyone here seems to be so scared."

"Maybe it's of us." Trunks responded.

"That's probably true." Piccolo agreed. "I think once we get settled we should find whoever's in charge around this town."

They arrived at the inn. After the usual incident by now of surprise followed by Piccolo creating money to pay their stay, the group ate a meal and rested the night, the children especially enjoying the feeling of the blizzard. When morning arrived the group gathered around, with Piccolo forming warm winter clothes around each of them.

"Let's eat some breakfast and get going." Trista ordered. "It may be our only meal of the day."

Everyone agreed with this. The Saiyans, as expected, munched down mountain-portions of food at the inn's café. Piccolo only drank water, as was customary for a Namekian to do. When they were finished, all six went outside and took to the sky. They floated for a short while and then came upon what was marked to be the Shiverton City Hall. They went inside, with the Snow Dancers of course being taken aback by their strange appearances.

"We'd like to see whoever is in charge." Piccolo grunted.

"What business would you have doing that?" One of the skeptical guards asked.

"Would getting rid of Kayoko suffice?" Piccolo grunted once again.

This got their attention.

* * *

"So let me get this straight." The mayor of Shiverton, a Snow Dancer by the name of Arshe stated again toward the strange group of newcomers, who had apparently been sent by King Aeolus of Aeolia. "You six- four of you being children, plan on confronting Kayoko and ousting her and her followers out of the Frozen Mansion?"

"Yep." Hotaru answered in the affirmative. "Is that a problem?"

"It isn't a problem at all. There's not much I can think of that would be better than breaking her stranglehold over the surrounding countryside. I just wonder if you people can actually do the deed."

"All we're asking is for some information about the mansion and the surrounding area. We expect nothing in return. There's something we need to do there anyway." Trista stated.

"I wonder what that can actually be…?" The Snow Dancer muttered to herself.

"That's not your concern." Piccolo quickly answered. "Just be sure that we'll take care of it."

"I assumed that would be your attitude." Arshe smirked. "I'll give you all that you need."

Hotaru smirked. "We appreciate it."

Some time later, as the strange group left, Arshe noticed the outfits of three of them as belonging to the legendary warriors known as Sailor Soldiers, who she heard, had defeated the most fearsome Snow Dancer of all- Princess Kaguya and permanently iced her habits of collecting frozen planets. If there were anyone that could stop Kayoko, it would be those Sailors and whoever their companions were bound to be.

* * *

"How much longer is this going to be?" Rini complained- the shortness of these Sailor skirts were entirely impractical to inclement weather, especially when one was flying at a fast speed.

"It shouldn't be much longer now." Trista answered. "We're deep in the heart of Snowflake Valley. Snowstar Mountain should be dead ahead in a minute or so."

"Let's just get this over with." Trunks muttered. "I'm sick of being out in this cold. Why would anyone even want to build some kind of mansion on top of a mountain of ice?"

"It's easy to find other cultures strange." Trista smiled at her companion. "What's practical or important in one environment might not be in another."

"Look, I think I see it." Piccolo said as a glint shined atop a mountain in the distance.

The team gradually saw it fade into view- a very large structure built on top of the mountain's high plateau. It was truly a work of architectural mastery- an elegant mansion frozen in a glint of ice standing majestically over the mountain range and Snowflake Valley. All six travelers quickly landed in front of the mansion, looking up at the imposing structure.

"I don't sense any elevated power levels in there, but we'll have to be on our guard in any case." Trista said. "Remember what King Aeolus told us."

"A fight is inevitable." Hotaru said as she made the Silence Glaive appear in her hands, holding it upright. "Let's get moving."

Trista just as quickly made the Garnet Rod appear in her hands the same way as Hotaru had done with her glaive. All six cautiously made their way up a small staircase leading up to the entrance to the Frozen Mansion. Piccolo cautiously opened the large doorway, which moved aside without making a sound.

All six of them made their way into the main hall of the Frozen Mansion, preparing to make the attempt at figuring out its secrets.

* * *

Gohan stood at the edge of the Lookout, looking very much like his mentor Piccolo. Amara and Michelle flanked him on either side. It had become a common sight since the end of the last battle and with Gohan's return, and no one on the Lookout had any desire to disturb the trio.

"The sea is clouded." Michelle said as she looked down at the dark earth being bathed in the cloudy night. "I cannot anticipate Mordred's next move."

"Oh?" Amara asked with her eyes wide. "What's that mirror of yours telling you?"

"Nothing." Michelle answered. "My visions are clouded. And I know that the wind hasn't been telling you anything either."

"No, the winds have been strangely calm." Amara said.

"And there's no power levels down there at all." Gohan frowned. "It's like they've completely vanished."

"It's absolutely essential that we find out where he's planning to strike next." Amara frowned. "Otherwise we'll have to react the way we did before and thus our plan will be ad-hoc."

"If I had to guess, I'm certain that Mordred will attempt to construct a much grander army this time. He'll be comparably limited in the amount of energy he can use to strengthen his Numba though. He didn't have the benefit of draining it from us fighting the last time around. Nonetheless, defeating the sheer number of them as I suspect there will be, and at their current rate of power, plus reinforcements, is going to be a difficult feat for us to accomplish, especially since in the coming battle, I will undoubtedly be occupied fighting Mordred." Gohan remarked.

"We'll have to get as prepared as possible with a rigorous training program." Michelle concluded.

"Perhaps you'd all like to use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber?"

All three turned backward to see Dende walking toward them, carrying his staff with a smile on his green face.

"I'll have Mr. Popo prepare it so you all can get some extra training in." Dende further declared.

"The Time Chamber is tough, but we might as well go into battle as strong as we can." Amara replied back to the Guardian.

"Perhaps we should just put our worries aside and enjoy the night." Dende said while looking up at the sparkling stars overhead canopying the Lookout.

There was something poetic about the stars shining down on the grey clouds below the Lookout and above the green surface. A calm atmosphere descended on the Lookout, perhaps the eye of the storm, but a welcome one.

* * *

"Looks like we need a key." Goten said as he looked at a bright blue door. All the walls of the room were very shiny, and each of the team could easily see their reflections in the walls, floor, and ceiling of every room they'd been in so far. It was aesthetically pleasing, and reflected the masterful architecture of the place.

"We can't afford to blast the walls down." Piccolo said. "Look around for a clue or something."

"But it's just a big room of ice!" Rini cried out.

"There's gotta be something here or they wouldn't have constructed the mansion like this." Trista said.

Everyone began to spread out and look for clues in the very homogenous room whose only standout features were the two doorways on either side.

"Man…this is lame." Trunks huffed. "When can we get back to fighting some guys?" He walked around for a few more steps and then noticed that his left leg sank further into the ground than the other. "Huh?" He babbled with widened eyes. Trunks then put his foot more forcefully down on the ground only to jump back with a yelp as he saw a large tile on the floor topple in the air, revealing a passageway underneath the floor for a moment before gravity put it back in its former place. "Hey!" Trunks shouted. "Come look at this!"

Trunks' companions came over to his side as he once again stamped his foot on the floor, with the tile bouncing up in the air once again and revealing the passageway below.

"Hurry up and get down there!" Hotaru said as the tile began to fall back down.

All six jumped down and landed smoothly in the dull passageway. The walls were not mirror-like as they were above.

"Well, looks like there's only one way to go from here." Rini said as she looked down the passageway.

"Be on your guard." Piccolo warned as they began to move forward.

The team cautiously moved forward in the passageway until coming to a lightly lit room with a bright blue chest. Piccolo used his telekinesis to open it, taking caution if there was a trap inside. After a few seconds, Hotaru made her way over to the chest and grabbed a silver key hidden inside.

"Well…that was easy…" Rini said of the passage.

"We still have a ways to go." Piccolo said back.

"Let's get back and put that key in the door." Trista said.

The team sped back down the passageway and Trunks pushed the movable tile up in the air. They all hovered out before the tile came back down to its place. Hotaru put the silver key in the blue door and opened it.

"KEEEEE!"

All six widened their eyes to see a huge amount of Snow Dancers chanting and chiming at them, getting ready for battle.

"Well…" Trista said, getting into a battle stance. "Looks like we've got that fight you wanted, Trunks."

"Great! Let's get e'm!" Trunks smirked as he got into battle stance.

Hotaru silently lowered the Silence Glaive to prepare for battle.

Goten and Trunks immediately rushed towards the left and right flanks while Piccolo rushed up the middle. The three punched, kicked, and blasted their way through the ranks of the hostile Snow Dancers. Sailors Saturn, Pluto, and Mini Moon went and eliminated the pockets their companions had left one by one. Saturn sliced off the last one's head with the Silence Glaive- making the hostile dancer fall into a powder of snow.

"I don't like beating up weaklings." Trunks spat.

"We were fortunate there- it makes our job much easier." Hotaru replied.

All six of the team members floated over a chasm that required a not-so-obvious way to activate a bridge. Thankfully the ability to fly meant they had one less puzzle to solve. They all walked through a doorway into the next area.

"It's a…dead end?" Rini asked in bewilderment.

"Great…now what?" Trunks grimaced, looking at himself in the mirror-like shiny wall.

"We look for a clue, that's what." Piccolo commanded.

Trista noticed that one of the walls had snow on it and wasn't covered by ice. She began to dust the snow off while the others paced around examining the other walls. The Guardian of Time continued to push the snow out of position, until she found a white corner that was heterogeneous to the pattern on the walls of the room.

"Guys, look!" She called.

The others rushed over as she polished the snow off the interesting part of the wall. When the snow was cleared, a white door was revealed that led out of the room to the right rather than in a straight line. Trista opened the door but was immediately attacked by a hostile Snow Dancer. She was prepared, however, and reacted by slamming the bottom of the Garnet Rod in the assailant's face, followed by a quick Dead Scream that finished it off.

"Well, that one didn't have too good of a day." Trunks smirked.

"Keep on your guard." The Guardian of Time warned as she walked further inside, followed by the others.

They all slowly went forward and found a sudden drop that would be unwelcoming to those unaware of it- perhaps a trap to keep out intruders. The team all gently floated down to the ground and kept walking forward until they came to another door. They opened it only to find a small, empty room.

"Another dead end?" Rini pouted in annoyance.

"Aw man!" Goten moped.

"Not everything is as it appears." Piccolo reminded.

"Yep, and I think I see that right here." Hotaru said as she walked up a platform and pointed at a red 'X' marked on the floor. The Soldier of Destruction carefully walked toward the X and slammed the butt of the Silence Glaive in its center as a curiosity to see what would happen. What did happen was a very loud grinding sound.

"It's coming from above us." Trista noticed.

"Hey…I think we're directly under the blank room we just came out of." Hotaru pointed.

This raised the attention of Piccolo and Trista, and all six of darted out of the room and up the drop they came from, not needing to take the nearby ladder as they could fly- a skill really coming in handy at this particular phase of the mission.

"Just as I expected." Hotaru said as she opened the door that led out of the passageway.

When all six returned to the main hallway, they saw that the far wall had opened up, leading to a stairway and another door which led out of the area.

"There we go." Goten smiled as they all headed up the stairs.

"I don't understand what's so important about this place that they'd have to make all these puzzles." Trunks spat.

"Probably it's like that Underground Castle place we came from earlier." Hotaru answered back as they went through a large set of double doors.

Once they were in the next room, the doors suddenly slammed shut and then disappeared, leaving all of them stranded in what appeared to be an empty room.

"What the?" Piccolo grunted.

A low, amused cackling could be heard echoing throughout the room as the icy walls reflected an ominous dark color.


End file.
